


In Time

by CorellianRose



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Last Jedi, star wars the last jedi
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Betrayal, Eventual Romance, F/M, Feelings, Force Bond (Star Wars), Knights of Ren - Freeform, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Original Character(s), Post The Last Jedi, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Burn Rey/Kylo Ren, Some Humor, The Dark Side of the Force, The Force
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-03-21 19:51:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 23,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13748052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorellianRose/pseuds/CorellianRose
Summary: Supreme Leader Kylo Ren. A title he never thought he would possess. But Snoke had to die. The constant whispers, the constant "punishments" day in, day out. But now... now it was calm and quiet. The only whispers he could now hear were of the Force. And the only punishment he received was of the bond.





	1. Back Down with the Black

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for checking the story out.

**Chapter 1:**  Back Down with the Black

" _Feed into the anger. Feed into the hate, the darkness. This will deepen you further into the shadows._." Snoke's deep voice slithering into the dark matters of Kylo's brain. " _Yes! Let that potential_ grow _, my young apprentice._ "

Snoke had an odd and disturbing delight in his voice. Nothing was scarier than a smiling Supreme Leader. Kylo could feel him burning through his body like a forest fire on Endor. Every inch of Ben felt he was in flames.

"AAAHH!" tears stinging Kylo's eyes. He couldn't take the pain anymore. It was unbearable.

"Yes! Feel the darkness surrounding you, boy. Let it envelop you, diminish that spark of hope." Snoke spat with glee. It was nothing but pure pleasure seeing his young apprentice shrink under his power. He finally had the Vader bloodline in his grasps. He was going to train him to become better than his lineage. Train him to do the things Darth Sidious and Vader couldn't reach. And that was to rule the galaxy in its  **entirety**.

Under the rule of Palpatine, the people had still resisted and fought him. Snoke wanted to bring fear and order to the people of the galaxy. He wanted to reign with a beskar iron thumb. And he was going to do it with the Darth Vader's blood by his side.

* * *

Kylo could still feel the, _now dead_ , Supreme Leaders assault on his brain months later.

He sat in his quarters with his helmet in hands, waiting to make the announcement on the death of Snoke and his ascension to his new position. He heard a beeping at his door.

"Enter," he said sternly.

It was one of the Knights, Aeron Endeel, his second in command.

"Supreme Leader," he said with bended knee, head down and a fist slammed into his chest.

"Yes, Aeron?" Kylo's eyes never leaving his helmet.

"The fleet is ready for the speech, sir" Aeron never wavering from his position.

"Thank you." Kylo pinched the bridge of his nose "No more of the bended knee. You and the Knights have proven your loyalty to me countless times."

Kylo rose to his feet, his height towering over the knight.

"Stand, my friend."

He placed his hand on Aeron's shoulder. The Knights were the only ties left from the life he let die and crumble. They were the handful of padawans that chose to leave with him after he destroyed Luke's failed Jedi Temple.

"Yes, sir," Aeron said with a slight bravado

"I'll meet you out there in a minute,"

Aeron nodded and left the quarters.

 _Supreme Leader_  Kylo Ren. A title he never thought he would possess. Snoke had to die. The constant whispers, the constant "punishments" day in, day out. But now... now it was calm and quiet. The only whispers he could now hear were of the _Force_. And the only punishment he received was of the bond.

Kylo took in a deep breath, put on his helmet and clipped his saber to his belt. With one more inhale of air he straightened his back and stepped out onto the giant terrace facing the thousands of Stormtroopers and First Order supporters. The roar of the crowd was deafening, even under the mask. He felt like the ocean of people went on for miles. It was quite the sight.

The holo-projector blasted his image behind him. Along with the Knights of Ren and many other holo-screens within the crowd. He raised his hand for silence. The roaring the crowd dissipated with a quickness.

"People of the First Order. First and foremost the rumors you've heard, in the last couple of weeks, about our Supreme Leader, Snoke, are true." He lied

"He was murdered by that disgusting scavenger who dare call herself a Jedi" He could hear the rise of the masses starting to murmur about the news.

"This is work of the Resistance. They have only partially paid their debt towards Snoke's death. They have much to more to pay. Their numbers are dwindling. Intel has told us that they are in the mere hundreds, possibly even less. No planet across the galaxy want to have anything to with a forever disappointing opponent."

"We will find the rest of them and we will put an end to that General Organa and her rag-tag Resistance." Kylo was feeding off of the energy of his listeners. The people were cheering. They were eating every bit of what he had to say.

"Second, with the loss of Snoke, I will be taking over his command of the First Order." Kylo felt the ripples of the crowd coursing through his body.

"My proclamation to you. We  **will**  rid the galaxy of this Resistance. We  **will**  rid them of their hope. And we  **will**  restore order to this galaxy, once and for all!"

"Down with the Resistance!" he yelled. He could hear the crowd cheering wildly and began to chant his last words. With that, he turned his heels and entered back into the building.

Kylo felt the heavy shift within the Force. There was a change coming and it wasn't with the First Order.


	2. Happening Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Kylo Ren's emotions are mirrored. Both frustrated in their current positions. Rey on a packed Falcon and Kylo in strategy meetings.

**Chapter 2 :** Happening Again

"We have nowhere to go, General," Poe said in defeat. "We can't float in space forever. Rations, supplies, fuel, morale. They're all running seriously low."

"I know, I know. But we must have hope." Leia sighed in grief. Even after she's lost everyone shes loved, hope was a needed spark.

"I'm sorry ma'am. But look where hope has gotten us." Kora snorted. She was young, looked to be about Rey's age.

"Kora!" shouted Poe in shock mixed with rage. The looks around the cargo bay were an infusion of outrage, irritation, restlessness, and sadness. But deep down they knew it was the truth.

"Kora, I understand." Leia lifted her hand, palm toward the girl. "We are in a tough position. We don't really know where any of our allies stand. Let alone know if they will help us"

"No one came to help us, General." snapped Rentan "They heard our distress call and they  **ignored**  us. Left us to die!"

Leia sighed on the verge of collapse. She was right when she told Holdo that she wasn't sure if she was able to take any more losses. Her heart was breaking. Everything she's fought and protected for the last 30 years was radically exterminated by her own son.

"I can't stress enough how badly we need supplies, Princess." Poe pleaded.

"If we really ration the food, that we currently have, we have less than a day and a halves worth ma'am," Finn interjected.

* * *

Rey was finding it harder to concentrate with the heavy hum of the Falcon that was now brimming with life. Between with what was left of the Resistance and the Porgs, the Millennium Falcon made her feel like she was suffocating. **  
**

She was happy her friends had survived, but barely. By their literal skins, they were able to escape Crait. But space was very limited on the ship. She wasn't used to constantly being around people. All her life on Jakku, after Starkiller Base, on Ahch-To, and especially when Kylo offered her to rule with him. She was still alone.

She found it easier being able to ebb an flow with the  _Force_  when Master Skywalker was around. He had a calm understanding of her newly raw and awakened power. He had told her the last time he felt this much power was in Ben Solo. He was more scared than ever, she felt, was because he didn't want Rey to end up like his nephew. She knew she couldn't end up like him. She wouldn't. There needed to be a balance. Like she felt on the island.

Her last image of Kylo was of him kneeling on the floor of the console room on Crait. She felt all of his sadness, malice, and his abandonment. Rey didn't have the time to care. He was a monster. And her friend's lives were at stake.

' _Let the past go, let it die if you have to_.' she remembered as his words haunted her ears when she closed the hanger door and left the bond behind her. He was to become part of her past. Rey couldn't let it die. Not yet. And it bothered her down to her core.

She needed off this ship. Soon.

* * *

Kylo needed away from the Order. He felt smothered by the people around him. If he had to endure one more "strategic" session, he was going to  _Force_  choke them all.

"Supreme Leader, what are we do with these Rebellion rumors?" a general squawked as he slammed a hand on the table. Ren looked at the general and nodded. At the moment, he could care less. There have been like these rumors for weeks. People kept sending reports about seeing a girl with a Wookie. Or seeing his father's YT freighter. Again, they were just rumors. In truth, she and the Resistance had seemed to have fallen off the face of the galaxy.

"Sir?" Vrei Yidrath, the diplomat of his knights, looked at Ren. "Sir, are you ok?" she leaned to him and whispered

Kylo snapped out of this headspace. "What ' _of_ ' these rumors? They are only that. But we can never be too careful. Send a small squadron of 8 troopers to inspect. Have Kier take command." Keir Astar was the most the level-headed of the Knights, the Monk. Ren sent her out knowing she would be able to acquire information from civilians without bloodshed being dropped.

"Yes, Supreme Leader." Vrei slammed her fist into her chest walked out with her orders.

"Supreme Leader" Hux hissed. "We still need to proceed with plans to how we are to replace the Supremacy."

"I could care less about the replacement of that ship. Your obsession with that monstrosity is ridiculous. " Kylo glared at the ginger Kowakian monkey-lizard under his mask. He hated him more than he hated Snoke. "It is a waste of finance." Ren rubbed his leather covered hand over his mask out of habit.

"We  _need_  that ship!" Hux demanded

"We have no  _need_  for a ship of that size." snapped Ren. "We could use our finances elsewhere. Like expanding the fleet we lost when they decided to put a ship into hyperspeed right through the Supremacy. Or when they blew up the dreadnought."

"Sir," Admiral Junicar Corcas interjected,"We could use push some of those credits towards ship upgrades or armor upgrades for our troops."

"Something I can agree on, Admiral." Kylo acknowledged.

"Thank you, Supreme Leader" Junicar smirked towards Hux. All Hux could do was huff in annoyance.

"Meeting adjourned" Kylo swiftly left the room before anyone was able to "bow" to him.

While Kylo walked the halls, Stormtroopers walked out of his to avoid him. He could sense their fear of him. Now that he was Supreme Leader he felt their fear was even more amplified. They were all scared he would have one of his infamous tantrums and lash out at them.

As Kylo entered his quarters, the world turned silent. The humdrum of the ship, droids, and its people had all disappeared. The air around him felt heavy and echoey. His heart thumped wildly. He knew what was happening.

But this must be a dream.

That was over.

It ended when he ended.

Kylo slowly turned around to see her shape. She was here. Or there. Where ever she was. Her frame looked smaller than before. Ren realized she was sitting on something with her legs crossed under each other, her hands dangled over her knees, eyes shut. She seemed to be meditating.

He could feel her but couldn't feel her, not like before. This connection was weak. Kylo Ren wondered if she knew he was there. Or here. He could see the fall and rise of her shoulders from breathing. Kylo stepped quietly towards her as not to startle her. His hand stretched to her. She looked peaceful but drained. All spark and spunk seemed to be lost. Even in this state she still looked captivating.

As soon as she appeared she was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a pretty slow but I promise the story will pick-up soon. I just wanted to get a layout of where Rey and Kylo were weeks or months after Crait. Hopefully, I was able to portray that.
> 
> Reviews are always welcome! Enjoy the chapter.


	3. Eyes Closed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance is low on supplies. Rey is desperate for any freedom off of the Falcon. Even if for a moment.

**Chapter 3 :** Eyes Closed

Rey thought they would never land. After weeks on the run and flying on fumes, Leia decided that the planet Gamorr was the place to land. It was a planet located on the Triellus Trade Route in the Galov sector of the Outer Rims. Apparently, the Gamorreans weren't the best race of people but the had no choice but to land. Hopefully, it was only temporary.

Other than being on Takodana and Ahch-to, she would never get used to any greenery, cold, or change of weather. It was outstanding that other planets had differed from each other. She was used to the relentless heat, sand that would always found new places to hide, and a scorching sun. She would have never thought in a 1,000 life cycles she'd be able to visit another planet, let alone a handful.

They landed the Falcon in what looked like a secluded field. As the ramp lowered, Rey's anticipation was fleeting. The land below looked wasted and barren. The ground was hard and dry. No sign of greenery surrounding the Falcon. But she could see a bit of tall darker brown and green some distance away.

A couple members of the Resistance walked passed Rey and down the ramp. They were as curious about their surroundings as Rey was. The air was thick and had an odd mildewy-odor to it. There was a mist that floated high above the canopies and laid low to the ground. It was a disgusting shade of a gangrenous-green and yellow-y pus of an infected wound.

Even with this all disgust around her, she still wanted to explore. She wanted to feel it's  _Force_  signature. It was something she learned to appreciate and found calming while on her time on Ahch-to.

"Rey!" a familiar excited voice called from behind her. "Thinking what I'm thinking?"

She could feel the smirk on Finn's face. Rey couldn't help but turn and smile to her friend.

"Oh, you know it!"

"This planet is something out of a nightmare though" Finn tried to cover his nose from the smell.

"Better than Jakku," said Rey as-matter-of-factly

Finn just laughed and shrugged.

"Do you think we'll be able to get some stuff here?" Rey wondered

"Honestly, I hope so. Maybe something fresh. Heard this planet is known for its farming." Poe interrupted

"Fresh food?" Rey had a child-like wonder in her voice "like food that's grown from the ground? And not rehydrated by water?"

"Y...yes?" Finn said slowly while giving her the squinted-side eye. He remembered when she devoured the food at Maz's castle, it was disgusting how much food she could stuff down and as quickly too.

"What?" Rey with a huge smile on her face. "I'm sorry I wasn't privileged with the comforts of a daily warm meal." her voice dripped with sarcasm as she bowed to Finn.

Even though Gamorr was quite the gross looking planet, Rey was happy to finally be breathing fresh air. Well.. somewhat fresh air. At this point, anything was almost better than the Falcon.

"Hey"

"Yea, Rey?" Finn replied and Poe listening

"Race you to those trees." Without giving them time to respond, Rey bolted down the ramp and towards the distant trees.

"Hey, no fair Jedi-lady" Finn dropped his bag and ran after her. Poe followed suit.

Rey loved every bit of the wind flowing through her hair and being able to stretch her legs. She could hear Finn and Poe calling from behind her. But her head start was no match for two men. Within minutes Rey reached the tree-line and passed them. She couldn't stop herself. It was exhilarating. She felt free. There was so much movement Rey could do around the Falcon and its current residents. She also didn't have the space to practice her forms. Only read and reread the references from the old Jedi texts she stolen from the tree.

With this thought, she began to slow her pace, possibly a little from guilt. Rey's breath heavy from her sprint. She could see and hear the small signs of the Gamorrean wildlife. There was some hissing and buzzing behind her from unseen insects. Squeaks from rodents scurrying below. Birds chirping above and swooshing coming from ahead. Her ears perked up like a sand-cat. That swooshing meant one thing… water! That beautiful sound of water.

"REY!" a distance voice came from her left.

"REY! Where are you?" the disembodied voices calling out for her. After a couple more echoed calls of her name Finn and Poe appeared in the distance.

"Over here" Rey waved to them.

"Maker, Rey, give a guy a better heads up next time" Poe panted as he grabbed his knees and gasped for air.

"I couldn't resist," Rey giggled as she hopped over a fallen log. Poe and Finn looked at each other for a split second before chasing after her again.

"Force, she's a horrible case of cabin fever" Poe huffed

"You're telling me. Rey! Hold up" Finn called after her. After another minute or two they finally caught up to the wild-girl.

It was a sight to see. They stopped and stood next to Rey as they looked out before them. It was a gorgeous landlocked, emerald green lagoon with sprawls of moss covered rocks and wildflowers. The lagoon was strangely luminous and had a waterfall that splashed down into the body of water below it.

"I've… " Rey was speechless and wide-eyed. She had never seen anything more beautiful.

"Agreed" Poe gawked as he began to slip off his boots and jacket. Finn followed the pilot.

Instead of joining Poe and Finn, Rey decided to stay on the shoreline. After her little "tumble" on Ahch-to, she knew swimming wasn't her  _thing_. She decided to sit on the ground with her legs crossed beneath each other. Rey shut her eyes, dangled her hands over her knees and inhaled. She slowly concentrated away from Poe and Finns splashing about. She then gradually moved her attention to the wildlife around her. Without really noticing, the air around became thicker and quieter, as if time slowed. The noises around her became distant echoes. Rey could feel the flow of the  _Force_  through her and around the planet. She could feel it all. There was so much energy here. So much sadness and pain. Rey felt the planets torment from all the wars it has endured between its people. There was still a placidity in the  _Force_  here.

A calm.

A silence.

A sudden ripple of something familiar jolted through her body.

" **Ben**?" her eyes shot open as she whispered his name in an alert. She turned to see nothing. Only trees and grass filled her vision.

"You say something Rey?" Poe yelled at her floated upon the water.

"No... no, I'm ok" she hesitated.

' _It can't be._ ' Rey couldn't shake the feeling.

The bond was severed.

* * *

"By the  _Force_ , I don't how we did it, General. But we were able to get some supplies." Talohn smiled at Leia confidently. "And enough fuel to last a week and a couple hyperdrive-jumps."

"I was also able to collect some sap from the trees. I've read it could be used as a coolant for the ship." Kora said positively.

"Good job, Talohn. That's great, Kora." Leia couldn't stay upset with the girl. She understood her frustration.

"Now let's get off this damned planet before another civil war breaks out." Leia breathed a sigh of relief as she leaned on her cane for support.

"Yes ma'am" Talohn turned his heels

It was back to traveling on the Falcon. Rey couldn't rid the feeling in the pit of her stomach. He was there with her, she knew. Even if for that short moment.

What if the Bond was never actually disconnected? Rey silently wanted that to be true. There was something inside her that made her miss it. Miss him. Having someone to be able to talk to. Someone who understood.

* * *

" _Young Solo._ "  _a voice slithered in young Kylo's head._  " _This is not what you want. I can see it_ _within_ _you._ "

 _Kylo's blood went cold. He didn't know where the body-less voice was coming from. "You see your desire for power, boy."_ t _he voice hissed louder "I can teach you unlimited power."_

Kylo jerked awake with his hair stuck to his face and sweat running down his neck. Nightmares were nothing new. They've become a norm.

They've become almost… comforting.

Even now Snoke still haunted Kylo. He couldn't remember the last time he had a nights sleep without a nightmare. Probably before he woke up to his uncle with a saber raised above him.

Sleep wasn't coming back to him tonight. He decided going in the 'fresher would calm him down. As he walked down the corridor to the bathroom the familiar surge of the  _Force_  throbbed within him as if he walked through a bubble. Everything felt in slow-motion. The beeping and the thrum of the ship became warped. The atmosphere becoming blurry.

It was happening again. All of Kylo's blood rushed to his heart making it beat faster than Han running the Kessel Run.

There she was. The scavenger.

Rey was sitting there again. But this time she looked to be paying attention to something or maybe someone. The fluorescent lighting of the ship made her glow. Maybe it was the  _Force_  making her look that way. He couldn't tell. Kylo's mouth became dry as he saw her mouth curl up into a smile, that turned into a laugh. Her smile was bright even though her eyes told another story. It felt like all of time stopped existing. The moment was only temporary. After Rey's small fit of laughter began to calm, her eyes finally opened in the direction of Kylo.

Their dark eyes met.

Their bodies froze as they acknowledge each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is finally a long one. I may have gone on a little tangent with this one. But I hope you enjoyed.


	4. The in Between

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The connection of the bond is scattered and unstable. One of the Knights has tracked the Resistance.

**Chapter 4:** The in Between

He could see her breath staggering. Rey felt all air dissipate from her lungs. He was staring right at her.

He was here. Or there.

Rey noticed how small he seemed, even though his height towered over her. There were dark bags under his eyes. His shoulders tense, hands in a balled fists. Blood rushed to her cheeks as she realized he was shirtless again. Her eyes tried not to waver from his. But she couldn't resist examining at the scar she had given him. The divot of a scar that started above his right eye, down his collarbone, and to his chest. Rey's eyes shifted to his left shoulder where she noticed the star-shaped scar in which Chewie had given him. She realized they weren't the only pale-colored markings on his already pale skin.

Rey's eyes began to swell with tears as she fought hard to hold them back. As she didn't want to alert the people around her. After she discreetly wiped the evidence of them, she turned to face him again.

He was gone.

Kylo's feet were glued to the spot where he stood. He wasn't dreaming. He felt her this time. Stronger than the last. He could feel her  _Light,_ her loneliness, her sorrow... her guilt.

 _'What could be she guilty about?'_  He thought to himself. Snoke had lied to him, again. Manipulated him once again. This bond was still here. Maybe it was always there.

Kylo screamed out. A dark energy pulsed through him. With one swift motion, Kylo's saber was in hand. One click, another swift, his saber was being slashed and gashed against the corridor walls. He raised his hand towards a charging droid and with the squeeze of his hand the BB unit caved in on itself. Crushed. All that was left was tiny sparks of electricity and a muffled whirring noise. Beads of sweat formed between his brows from the outburst.

 _Beep … Beep..._ the comlink on his nightstand lit up.

"Astar to Ren... Astar to Ren." a voice called out "Are you awake, sir?" Keir's voice sounded urgent.

"Sir, we have spotted a YT-1300F light freighter, believed to be the one of the Resistance." Kylo picked up the com.

"Where?" His tone even

"Sir, they were seen leaving Gamorr" she affirmed

"What is your current status, Keir?" He asked her. ' _Are they that desperate for help?'_

"We're keeping our distance as to stay off their radar, sir" Keir stated

"Good. Keep me updated. And by all means, do not engage with them." He ordered. "Let them continue the belief that they are out of harm's way."

"Yes, sir," Keir replied.

"And Keir, send your troops back to the  _Finalizer_. This has become a reconnaissance and an as-need-to-know mission." Keir repeated her last statement. Com went silent

' _Gamorr? The General is desperate for allies._ ' He reassured himself.

Kylo turned his heels and returned to his previous aim and walked to the 'fresher. Before he stripped himself of his sleeping pants, he turned to look into the mirror. Kylo's hand touched the scar she had given him on Starkiller Base.

Was it odd he saw this scar as a gift? As something he deserved? For being a monster? For someone who had just murdered his own father?

Kylo cupped his face in hands and groaned as he tried to rub those thoughts away.

' _Let the past die, kill it if you have to._ ' He reminded himself as he stepped into the 'fresher. There was a heaviness he felt as the steaming water splashed against the width of his back.

' _Too soon_ ' Thinking they were about to be reconnected.

Out of habit, he pushed back his hair under the water. Kylo looked down to realize the source of his heaviness. He forgot to relieve himself of his sleeping pants.

"Not again" he sighed audibly.

* * *

"Rey?" Rose nudged her arm. "hey, Rey?" she continued to prod.

"Yea!" Rey snapped back into reality.

"You ok?" the curious girl asked.

"Yea.. yea.. I'm fine." Rey lied

"But you're crying," Rose whispered to her closely.

"Swelling with joy, Rose." she lied again with a small smile as she rubbed her eyes.

"Ok. I'll let you slide this time. I know you may not know me as well as Finn, but if you ever need to talk." Rose offered and patted Rey's hand.

"Thank you, Rose," Rey reassured the doubting girl. "I think I'm gonna go to lay down for a bit. Didn't sleep well."

"Completely understood." Rose smiled back

Rey felt guilty she had lied to her. But he was here. She saw him. How could she tell someone this? How could they understand? Especially when she couldn't understand it herself. They saw each other as they were if they filled the same space. She couldn't get the memory of his face out of her mind. The feeling of longing vibrated through their bond.

Rey opened her cabin door to find that some porgs decided her bunk made a perfect nest. They were awfully adorable. But awfully annoying at the same time.

"No..No not again." Frustrated, Rey hustled her bed. "No! Come on. Why do you only chew  _my_  linens? I don't understand." As Rey tried swatting the porgs off her bed they nipped at her.

"Don't you dare" Rey scolded them with a pointed finger. "Now go! I have no patience for you today."

Rey pointed her finger at the door and the pudgy birds squawked as they listened to her command. She lifted her sheet wide above her to see newly chewed holes all over the blanket.

"You are bloody annoying" she rolled her eyes as she laid her head on her pillow. The comfort of her bunk quickly swallowed her to sleep.

_The world around her was fuzzy and bright. Slightly wobbly as if she just finished spinning in circles. There was a shadowy blur of a figure in the distance. A loud thumping filled her ears. It was her heart pumping loudly as if trying to escape the cage that held it within. The obscure outline was floating towards her. Becoming taller and clearer. With curiosity, Rey walked closer to the specter._

_The closer it came her heart began to calm. She paid no attention to her slowing pace. Rey felt at peace. A peace she's never felt._

_Balance._

_In what felt like forever, the presence finally became known._

_Ben_

_Without hesitation, his hand cupped her face and thumbed her cheek as he reached her. His dark eyes were full and fierce but filled with compassion. There was a small of a smile on his face. But there was something else about him that she couldn't seem to place._

_His mouth was moving. But no words or a hint of sound came._

_The world shifted around them as they were stilled in their position. The world darkened as if the light never existed._

_Ben's expression had quickly changed. It was filled with pure undiluted malice. Rey could hear the sputters of his saber coming to life. His mouth was moving again. Nothing. Only the echoes of her hitched breath and heart beating filled her ears._

_Kylo's hand shifted from her face to her shoulder. His grip tight. The red glow of his saber illuminated the frenzied smirk on his face. With an agile and smooth motion, Kylo plunged his saber into her abdomen. Terror filled her entire being. Rey felt tears running down her face as her hands hovered over the saber that was still running through her._

Rey jolted out of her bunk, falling to the floor. Her chewed up blanket still wrapped around her. As Rey sat up on the floor, she lifted her shirt to see where the saber had entered her. Nothing. She brought her knees to her chest as she was overcome with emotion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think things are starting to fall into place. The feel of where the story is going is starting to flow. I'm super pumped. As always reviews and kudos are welcomed. Hope you enjoyed.


	5. Feel it Still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance has finally found a new home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two more members of the Knights of Ren are introduced. The Armory and the Heavy.

**Chapter 5:**  Feel It Still

" _Did you hear him the other night?_ " Mortathi Ti Rhea, a Knight of Ren, asked the stockier man across from him.

Mortathi was a tall and slender man with a darker complexion and light eyes. He had an in-depth knowledge of all things weapons and anything that blows stuff up. He wore a vest that was equipped with thermal detonators, two on his right collarbone, the other on his left that was accompanied by a flash grenade. There was also a heavily modified vanguard shotgun that laid across his chest, that he named Killstreak.

" _Again?_ " Kailin Bailo rolled his brown eyes, another Knight. He was stock built of a man. He wore a dark grey, heavy coat that stretched down to his buckled boots. Along with a distinguished shoulder armor that strapped around his right and connected over to his left. His masked helmet sat close to him on the table.

The two men sat in a dark corner of the busy cantina, as they carefully watched the people around them. Drinks flowed freely between the two Knights. But their spoken words were obscured through the privacy of the Force. If their words were overheard by civilians it could be seen as a form of treason against the self-appointed Supreme Leader, their friend.

Speaking this way was easier. It was safer, they knew. You can never trust anybody in an open space like this. Not even a simple cleaner droid. People were always listening. Especially with their presence. Everyone knew the reputation the Knights held. Which made the people even more curious as to their business in this far off sector of the galaxy.

" _I thought that was over?_ " Kailin asked knowing that, in their younger years, Kylo was always haunted by nightmares because of Snoke.

" _Apparently not_ " Mortathi chugged his drink. "Barkeep!" he yelled

"Another!" slamming his glass on the table.

"What the hell are we going to do more, Mor?" questioned Kailin as he took a swig of his drink.

"I might have an idea, my good man." Mortathi slapped the other knight's shoulder.

Kailin smirked. "Go on, brother."

* * *

Supreme Leader" a Stormtrooper hesitantly approached Kylo in the main hanger.

"Yes, FN-1088" Kylo answered the trooper dryly.

"Sir, from Keir Astar" FN-1088 handed Ren a small holo-disk.

"Dismissed" no change in Kylo's tone.

"Yes, sir" the trooper hit his fist on his heart and quickly left.

Kylo hastily stalked the halls as he headed back to his living quarters. Troopers parting themselves out of their way as he passed. Once he entered the room he waved the door locked and quickly clicked the holo-drive into his personal console. A blue light promptly fizzed and lit up the room. The colors of the flourished surroundings began to load as Kier's hooded body suddenly appearance. The black and greys of her hooded shroud was a stark contrast against the bright shades of the foliage around.

"Kylo, I belive to have located the Resistance. They have landed on the forest moon of Endor in the Outer Rim." She stated. "It seems to me like they've taken up shelter inside a hidden base. Of some sort." she continued.

"By the looks of these holo-scans, it was built in the days of the Empire."

Kier's holo-cam followed her as she trekked through the forest moon. Kylo could see the giant, moss-covered trees as she walked passed. As if he was hiking right beside her. He could hear the wildlife teeming around the Knight. The crunching of her boots stepping on fallen leaves and branches.

His mother had told him all the stories about the Battle of Endor.

Keir stopped for a moment to have a drink of water from her flask. "Sir, I landed during the night as not to give them any suspicion of our shadowing." she continued. "The weather helped disguise our landing."

Kylo nodded even though he knew she couldn't see him.

"I have also kept one of the men with me. I apologize." she went on dryly. Keir's holo-cam turned as she looked to her left. It showed the trooper walking beside her. He wore an ID9 seeker droid, the same shade of white as his uniform, attached to his back. Odd choice of the model since it was produced in the days of the Empire.

"I'm going to send FN-1804 and the ID9 droid to search the base and if possible, slice any information we can on this place. Schematics, energy readings, and such." She stopped at the edge of a clearing. It looked to be a rundown landing field. Some landing pads looked to be about 30 meters high. Probably to enter an AT-AT he thought.

Kylo saw twisted and rusted metal that spread across the field with overgrowth around it. It's as if the moon had taken back the land that belonged to it. The sun's rays reflected on puddles of water giving the Imperial graveyard an iridescent glow.

Kylo could see the dense verdant life had taken over the decaying Imperial vehicles. Moss and the flourishing plant life had grown over the twisted metals that scattered the grounds.

Keir zoomed her holo-cam onto an old Imperial Pod Attack Walker. One of its legs blown off. But it's turret seemed to be intact. Keir raised her head to the right to show, that about a quarter of a klick away, there was a shattered AT-ST along with some rusted landspeeders. Slightly to the right of the AT-ST, Kylo could see a dinged whiteish outline of a wasted and cracked Stormtrooper helmet with creeping plants and multi-colored wildflowers making it its home.

"FN-one-eight-zero-four, turn your com to another frequency, I need to speak to the Supreme Leader privately" she commanded the trooper.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll take the droid to survey the area further." the trooper replied as he activated the droid with a button on his chest. Kylo pushed his hair back and bunched his brows as he studied the area of the holo-video. That same hand shifted downward to semi-covering his mouth and chin.

"Sir, I'm sorry to speak out of turn and dredge up any old memories." She spoke quietly as she removed her hood and mask. Her pale green skin glistening with sweat. "But all those stories Master Luke and your mother used to tell us about this place. No exaggeration on their part."

She wiped the sweat from her brow with a piece of her cloak. He could see the facial tattoo that led from her left ear down to edges of her jaw, rose up splitting her chin and touching the bottom of her lip. A Mirialan custom she received as a child.

Kylo shuttered at the memory of his family. He could recite the tales of how they fought the Empire and blew up a second Death Star with ease. They were told so many times. The time his parents professed their  _love_  for each other. The realization of his uncle and mothers own bond. Coming to terms with being the true heirs of Darth Vader.

A low growl rumbled from Kylo's throat. ' _I don't want to hear this_ ' He thought to himself. But he continued to listen. He respected her candor.

"It's something out of a fairy tale, Ren." He could hear the splashing of her boots and swishing of her cloak as she slowly walked on the puddle-filled field.

"There's so much  _Light_  here. To be honest, it's quite nauseating, sir." she hissed.

"Ok. I think this will be the end of this report. I'll send a return message when I have more information on the Rebels and their plans. Keir Astar out." Last he saw was of her fist tapping against her chest in salute. The room went dark. Kylo let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding.

' _Endor_.' He thought ' _smart General. I would have never thought to lay rest in an abandoned enemy camp._ '

* * *

" T...t..this place is b..br..brilliant." Kodi stuttered towards the other members. The Resistance fighter was a tall and gawky young man with unkempt blonde hair.

"I concur, kid" a greased stained Poe patted him on the back. "Go see if they need any help trying to bring that generator back to life."

Kodi nodded and headed out.

Rey fell in love with Moon the longer she was on it. Still not over the fact this place was a Moon. All the greenery outside the blast doors. It amazed her. While exploring the area, she found a high landing pad. Beautiful florals filled vines wrapped themselves around the legs of the scaffold. The grass was high. Ground muddy. The smell of the air was stimulating. The energy of the  _Force_  was brimming with the  _light_. More so than Ahch-to. It was euphoric.

Comforting.

Warm.

Rey decided to climb the legs of the landing pad. Out of habit, she had packed her scavenging supplies for this occasion. She guessed that the ascent to the top was to be about 20-ish meters up.

' _Shouldn't be too bad, right?_ she thought as she measured out her rope. 'It's only been a couple of months since my last climb of anything. It'll be a breeze.'

After a couple of struggling minutes, she reached the top of the platform. Rey had her hands on her hips, her breathing stammered as she tried to catch air in her lungs. Her arms and legs felt wobbly. Rey could feel the sweat running down her back.

The world around her was breathtaking. The light around her was opalescent. The scenery around her suddenly became cloudy like a fog dropping from the high canopies of the trees. The buzz of the forest became hushed.

Her heart beat rapidly. Her breath becoming more hitched. Rey rubbed the palm of her hand onto her forehead, wiped her sweat and dragging any hanging hair out of her face.

 _'Not now.. not now._ ' she thought as she shut her eyes tightly. She could feel the shift of the  _Force_  from another. Her eyes welled up knowing Kylo was behind her. As always. Her heart beat faster. She had to let her confidence grow before she was able to turn to him. The  _Force_  tightened around them as she felt Kylo closing in. A soft breeze swept the back of her neck sending chills down her spine. Rey took a deep breath and turned to face him.

There was a radiance around Rey that captivated Kylo. He noticed her hair had grown significantly since the last time he saw her. It was now below her shoulder but the top half was pulled back with a leather strip. He sensed the  _Light_  emanating from her being. Even though he could only see her, he knew the visuals of her surroundings. Kylo took in shallow breaths and he slowly walked towards the scavenger. He could smell the damp earth around them.

Intoxicating.

He wanted to speak the first words. But his mind and mouth wouldn't allow it.

She turned. All color had almost returned to her gold freckled skin. Her cheeks were flushed and her skin glistened under the sunbeam that looked to be enveloping her. Kylo saw that her bright hazel eyes were swollen from the tears she seemed to be fighting. He approached her apprehensively as he closed the gap between them.

All logic flew out the window when it came to the girl from nowhere. Kylo didn't know why. He was about to do something completely out of his nature. Kylo raised his arms towards Rey and wrapped them around her smaller frame. He felt her tense beneath him. She didn't fight him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more knight to go. My inspiration came from the concept art of the Force Awakens. If you haven't seen what I'm talking about, I highly recommend Googling it. I also went a little heavy on visuals, I'm really proud of them. Hope you enjoyed.


	6. Not Today

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, words are spoken after weeks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally have a full interaction between our love nuggets. It's a slow burn and I'm not sorry about it. Foundations!
> 
> The Knights have the codenames based on the concept art of the Force Awakens. It was a huge inspiration for them.
> 
> the Herald - Kylo  
> the Sniper - Aeron Endeel  
> the Diplomat - Vrei Yidrath   
> the Monk - Keir Aster  
> the Heavy - Kailin Bailo  
> the Armory - Mortathi Ti Rhea  
> and the Rogue - Darik Tobian (he hasn't been introduced yet) 
> 
> Enjoy!

**Chapter 6 :** Not Today

Blood boiling. Emotions scattered. All she could do was stand there and stare into the horizon, even though she could barely see over his shoulders. Rey felt his hair tickle her cheek as Kylo buried his face into the nape of her neck while he wrapped himself around her. The comfort of his arms resonated through their bond. It was like the final piece of a puzzle being laid.

_Balance_

"No" Rey whispered as reality hit. She began to shake her head against his shoulder.

"We're not doing this." voice growing. Rey pushed Kylo with any energy she could muster.

"Rey" Kylo searching her hazel eyes to break what's been said. His arms still holding onto her ghost.

"You've got a goddamn nerve." the pride on her shoulders kept her standing as her tears fell.

"I…" Kylo felt like an idiot. He couldn't articulate the words out other than saying her name. He could only feel the storm that brewed inside her.

"For kest sake" she looked at him with frustration. "Say something!" she screamed. The  _Force_  pulsated intensely. Making the trees and platform tremble slightly.

Kylo wanted to tell her he felt that she was hurting. That he wanted to wipe the tears from her eyes. Tell her he was surreptitiously being pulled closer to the  _Light_  at every thought of her. That he would give it all up for her, at the drop of an offer. But he knew he was too much of a monster to ever leave the New Order. But before the floodgates of his psyche burst, she was gone.

Again.

Kylo's left eye twitched and lips clenched as he tried to keep his dissatisfaction down. It didn't work. With his gloved hand, he punched the closest wall over and over as his screams began to sear his throat. He could feel his gloves shifting around the knuckles of his hand from the blood pooling inside. Kylo dropped to his knees, his breathing inconsistent. Tears falling. All that he felt and did, betrayed everything he was taught and lived by.

Rey mirrored Kylo's emotions. She ferociously beat her quarterstaff repeatedly on the platform below her as she yelled, making the birds scatter across the treetops. She dropped to her knees, sobbing, as she held onto her staff for support. Rey felt heavy as the setting sun. She thoughtlessly laid herself down and settled into a fetal position. She didn't want to feel anymore. Everything felt as if it was unraveling.

Her thoughts brought back to her isolation on Jakku. For one fading moment, she wanted to return to that life.

* * *

 _Bzzt_ …  _Bzzt_.. the comlink vibrated in her pocket.

"Heavy to Monk... I repeat, Heavy to Monk." Kailin called out using their code names just in case their frequency was being monitored.

"What, Heavy?" Kier despised the corpulent man, even the in the days of the Jedi Academy. He was too boisterous for her liking. But he was a Knight of Ren, she had to respect that.

"Coordinates of your location," he demanded

"Why?" she questioned the Heavy

"The Herald wants us to join you." reassured the man.

"Us? Who is  _us_ , Heavy?" she groaned and wanting this conversation to be over already.

"Cavalier Prime, Monk. That's why" The codeword for the Knights of Ren to assemble. This summoning didn't settle right within her. It wasn't like Kylo Ren to give the order to just one member.

"I haven't received any word from the Herald, Heavy." suspicion in her voice. She could hear Kailin growl on the other end.

"Are you questioning his orders, Monk?" there was an irritation in his voice. She could feel the Force shifting around her. Becoming deep and darker than the Force she felt sensed upon entering the orbit of the forest moon.

"No, Heavy. I am not." she retorted. She knew the repercussions of disobeying orders. She had the scars to prove. "Outer Rim, Moddell sector, Endor system, Endor Moon. I'll send you the exact coordinates when I return to the ship."

"Heavy, over and out" Keir's com went silent with static.

* * *

She woke up to the pitch black of the forest moon. The nocturnal insects chirped in the distance. Her body sore from sleeping on the metal floor. A chill ran down her spine as a sharp breeze passed by. Rey was surprised to find how cold Endor became at night. It was almost as cold Jakku in the evening. Rey rubbed her arms to give herself a little warmth. She saw the soft wisps of her breath as she sucked in the crisp air.

Rey blindly shuffled through her rucksack in search of her luma-sticks. As she cracked the slim cylindrical stems, they came to life in a luminous glow. Her eyes needed a little time to adjust to the contradicting light of her surroundings. Rey threw a stick over the edge of the platform before she carefully climbed back down. Her friends must be worried sick, she thought.

Using the other luma-stick, Rey was back to fiddling her sack for her com. It was pulsing red. Indicating the battery was deadly low.

"Rey to base." She spoke to the comlink "Rey to base, I'm on my way back. So sorry." Rey declared into the device. "Hopefully, someone receives this. My com's battery is dreadfully low."

Rey released her finger off the button and hoped the comlink didn't die before the transmission was sent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are finally starting to play out here. Things are at work! More interaction between the Knights. (which I haven't really read in other stories) 
> 
> The story is being transferred from my FanFiction account because I was waiting for my AO3 invitation. Hence, the bombardment of the chapters. But chapter 6 was the last chapter to be updated. I'm almost finished writing 7. I hope to be finished with it in the next day.
> 
> Also, thank you to all the people who have given kudos to the story. You're the best.


	7. Shattered Ring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia is worried about Rey. Kylo is learning the possible betrayals of his Knights.

Chapter 7: Shattered Ring  
  
  
  
Kylo could still feel her in his arms. He was haunted by his mistake. He showed her his vulnerability. Yet again. He told himself after she abandoned him on the Supremacy, he would treat her as any other enemy. And will treat her with the same fate.  
  
Joining her at the table filled with the ashes of the enemies he has slane.  
  
Or maybe a fate worse than death.  
  
In moments of weakness, he sought counsel with his grandfather's charred helmet. The mask helped him reach what he needed from the Dark when he felt he was being pulled towards the Light. He found comfort in the fear and pain caused by the man who wore the visage.  
  
"Why does this girl, from nowhere, have such an effect? She is beneath me. Just a scavenger... from Jakku of all places." he spoke with irritation. His thoughts ran wild.  
  
"Why does the Force continue to pull us together? When we touched hands, I saw her standing beside me. Ruling the galaxy together!" he slammed his fist on the metal rim of the table making the ashes vibrate.  
  
"Grandfather, what am I to do?" He stared into the blank face of the mask "I am conflicted. I am feeling the pull towards the Light. Stronger than before." Kylo's voice low and somber.  
  
"I am… feeling… things" Kylo confessed. "Things that go against everything I've learned. Even from the days as a padawan"  
  
"Attachments only lead to suffering. And suffering implies only weakness." the anger inside Kylo building. The coldness of the Dark shrouded him like a frozen blanket. "I am not weak."  


He stared into the face of the charred and crumpled mask.

 

"Thank you, grandfather." as if the false-face spoke to him.  


* * *

  
  
"Were you aware of Keir's mission to Endor?" Aeron asked Veir. The Knights practiced their forms in the training room. Veir swung her training saber towards Aeron's face.   
  
"No" Veir responded by swiping the saber against his open torso. Aeron clutched his side.   
  
"Apparently" Aeron took in a deep breath "he called for Cavalier Prime" he lunged forward, Vrei twirled, making him miss.   
  
She whacked the stick on his back. The Sniper winced in pain. Her stance high, back straight, calculating the man's next move through the Force. She elegantly moved her feet one over the other like a dancer.   
  
Aeron's stance was low and wide. His arm raised to the level of his eye, training saber pointed towards his target. He paced around her like she was prey.   
  
"Do you know the means of this mission?" Vrei keeping her eye-less face on him.   
  
"No. Mortathi wouldn't tell me," he stated while concentrating back on her.   
  
"Suspicious" Vrei kept her stance. The saber sitting between her shoulder blades.   
  
"What do you mean?" Endeel charged at her. Yidrath gracefully stepped aside and used the Force to push him into a standing practice droid.   
  
"I yield," said the defeated man   
  
Vrei reached out her hand to the fallen man. He stared at her offer for a moment. He swiftly grabbed her hand and pulled her to the ground. She stumbled on top of him, her hands landing on his chest. Faces closed in. Aeron leaned up to the woman's face and slithered his hand into her hair. Vrei smirked and smacked the hilt of the practice saber on his forehead and gathered herself from the floor.   
  
"Hey" he rubbed his head and sat up. "Vrei, what did you mean by suspicious?"   
  
"Ren has always sent his order to the whole of the group." She threw a towel in his direction. "And if he did send them to a singular person, why would he send to him? Not to you or I? We are closest, in proximity, to him."  
  
"He's traveling with Kailin" he stated   
  
"Hm…" she wondered, he frustration building "together they are impulsive, they never follow directives. Always looking out for themselves."   
  
"Maybe we should talk to Ren?" Aeron suggested.   
  
"That's a joke. Remember the last time someone questioned his orders?" she simulated a slice across her neck.   
  


* * *

 

  
  
There was a dark worry that encased Leia. Even though she may not be completely one with the Force, she was still sensitive to it and she could feel when it changed. And something was off. It's been hours since they heard anything from Rey. It wasn't like her.   
  
"Poe" Leia's raspy voice gave the command to the pilot in the hanger.   
  
"Yes, General?" Poe standing to attention to the respected General.   
  
"Any word from Rey?" concern in her voice. She always punctual when it came to check-ins.   
  
"No, ma'am. All is silent on her end." Poe said with uncertainty. "Last we heard from her was a couple of hours ago. A little before the sun had set."   
  
"I'm worried, Dameron." she confided in him   
  
"I'll speak to Finn and a couple of the people to set up a small search." Poe could see this gave Leia some relief.   
  
"Just please, just don't let this quiet moon fool you," Leia warned as she tightly gripped her cane. "There are species out there that will kill on instinct." Leia's voice full of sentiment but mostly concern for the girl and her family.   
  
"Don't worry Leia, we will find her. She's probably fell asleep meditating or something.." Poe wrapped one arm around Leia's shoulders.   
  
"Thank you, Poe." she smiled at the fierce pilot. "May the Force be with you."   
  
"Always."   


* * *

  
  
"Supreme Leader" the elegant woman behind him.  
  
"Yes, Vrei?" Kylo answered without turning, continued to stare out the viewport and watched the blue light of hyperspace pass them by.  
  
"This mission, sir. " she hesitated  
  
"Mission?" raising his eyebrow but still facing space.  
  
"Your call for Cavalier Prime?"  
  
"I'm sorry?" Kylo confused, turning to the women behind him.  
  
"I just wanted to know the details of the mission, sir" Kylo's height dominated over the tall Miraluka woman. She was relatively petite with a muscular tone, slightly tanned skin and white hair. She wore a typical First Order uniform. A black, well-pressed high collar tunic with attached code cylinders on the chest and a wide belt wrapped around her hip. Instead of the flare-hipped pant, she wore more of a fitted pant that led into knee-high boots. She also wore a black coat with sharp lines that was angled and flared open over her to the left side but had a sleeve for the left arm. The cape also clasped at her right collar.  
  
But her most distinguishing feature was her lack of eyes, she didn't need them. Her people observed the environment around them through Force sight instead of regular vision. Only replaced by the bulged visor that covered up the vestigial eye sockets.  
  
"Who called for this?" his voice growled but his tone was dry. His leather-clad hand clenching into fists.  
  
"Sir, Mortathi and Kailin called for us to join them and Astar on the Endor moon." Vrei sensed the cold Dark of the Force swirling wildly around the towering leader. She took a step backward.  
  
"And Darik, is he... aware this call?" showing, even more, his disdain for this possible treachery of his Knights.  
  
"Not that I am aware of." Even though she was a darker Force user, she always ran on the colder but the room was frigid. Even for her. The Force around Kylo was cloudy, deep and seeded.  
  
"Was there more to the scouting mission you sent Keir on?" she questioned. Kylo knew he had to tell her of the Resistance taking shelter the decrepit Empire base.  
  
"It was an as-need-to-know." Kylo was seething with anger. He was not to take this treason lightly. He had to think quickly. "Now... you need to know."  
  
"There was a report of them being seen trading for supplies on Gamorr. She was able to spot them before they jumped into hyperspace." Kylo divulged as he walked over to his console. "I told her to send back the troopers as, I decided, this was to become a reconnaissance mission. Only to report on what they were doing."  
  
Kylo slipped in the holo-drive Keir had sent him. Vrei heard the buzz of the holo-console coming to life.  
  
"She kept her distance and a trooper. She followed them to the Forest Moon of Endor. She landed on the grounds during a heavy rain the day after their arrival." he continued. Through the Force, Vrei could saw the surroundings of the Moon illuminating the room. Then she heard her fellow comrade speak.  
  
"Kylo, I have located the Resistance." Keir was heard in the background.  
  
"I told her not to engage with the Rebels and gain information that could help the New Order and bring them down once and for all."  
  
"By the looks of these light scans, it was built from the days of the Empire." Vrei saw Keir coming up to a clearing. Even though she wasn't anywhere near the moon, she shivered from the Light she sensed coming from the drive.  
  
"She's been there for the last three day. I'm still waiting for her next report."  
  
"Ok. But this still doesn't explain the order, sir."  
  
"I didn't" Kylo stared straight into her visor, she felt his truth.  
  
"Then what are we do of these... defectors, sir?" She inquired without hesitation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, but seriously I'm head over heels in love with the Knights. Keir and Vrei are two-badass women who are taking no shit from the guys. Hope you enjoyed!


	8. Green Mile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey meets the Knights... sort of

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the late update. I was struck with the dreaded flu this week. It was horrible. But the chapter is here And in feeling a lot better now! This one was fun and so frustrating to write. I wrote the first half in a fevered stated, I think it shows. Also, I added the names of the Knights that were speaking so it wasn't confusing. You'll see what I mean.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

**Chapter 8 : Green Mile**

Rey walked through the pitch-black with only the use of her luma-sticks guiding her. The forest was magically beautiful and encouraging during the day, yet disturbingly eery in the night. The black trunks against an almost black backdrop didn't make for much too see. It teemed with the sounds of its nightlife. Every sound that was sung back and forth made Rey jump a little.

' _Silly_ ' she laughed to herself. ' _This is absurd. There's nothing to be afraid of._ ' The rattling wind swam through Rey's hair, it directed her over her shoulder. With a turn of her head, she felt the Force change around her. Up till then it had been soft and tranquil. Now… it felt erratic and hyperactive, but mostly malevolent.

Rey quickened her pace through the half-memorized path to the base. The trees stood utterly still. The blackness provided a sense of claustrophobia inside her even though the green Moon ceaselessly stretched for miles. Her imagination began to conjure horrors that didn't help her sudden frightened emotion.

She steels herself to keep moving forward, her hair on end as if the forest was on the enemy side. The air suddenly felt several degrees cooler. Rey tried to listen for the signs of life around her, but all was silent. Back on Jakku this silence would have been somewhat tranquil, but now it was more like the quiet of it's graveyard.

Rey heard a sudden shuffle in the distance.

"Hello?" she yelled out. There was a heavy shifting coming from behind. The Force deepened in it's darkness. It was sickening. Corrupt. It made Rey light-headed.

The sounds of branches snapping and feet shuffling through the foliage came from her left.

"Anybody there?" Rey's heart pounded against the cavity of her chest. She tried to pull to the Light, for comfort, it was non-existent. Even with the bright glow of the luma-sticks in hand, the world around her was... empty.

' _Hello, Scavenger_ ' a soft voice slithered in her mind. Rey's eyes looked around wildly for the disembodied voice. (Keir)

' _Scaaaaavenger_ ' another voice echoed, deep and raspy, taunted in a sing-song tone. (Kailin)

"Hello!" Rey called out, continuing her search for the incomporeal sounds "Who's there?" Instinctively, she reached for the blaster on her waist.

' _That won't help my little Magpie_.' a third voice echoed behind. It was sweet but intimidating. (Vrei)

Rey froze. Something or someone was manipulating her in her position.

' _Stop doing that.._ ' a fourth voice scolded. Rey was released. Her breath faltered. (Aeron)

' _Oh, look… the scavenger is scared._ ' the second voice returned, it was jovial. As if it enjoyed what it was doing. (Kailin)

' _I think we've frightened her, my friends._ ' the hoarse bass voice of the fifth entered (Darik)

' _Can't you see it? I can feel it too... her fear._ ' the sweet voice echoed in her brain (Vrei)

' _It's.._.' the honeyed slithering voice returned and paused ' _...tantalizing_ ' (Keir)

"Show yourself!" Rey's own voice quivering. The multiple voices laughed inside her, making her dizzy and light-headed.

' _The poor girl is shaking_ ' a sixth and final voice sounding bored. (Mortathi)

' _Good_ ' the second voice returned this time with venom behind it (Kailin)

' _We will meet properly, little Magpie. Soon._ ' the sweet voice responded (Vrei)

As swiftly as the voices came, they went.

Rey raced towards her destination. She didn't care to notice how the world around her sprung back to life. She wanted to return to the comfort of her friends.

 

* * *

 

 

"Rey!" the group shouted.

"S..Scans are only sh...showing our life...f...forms, Poe," Kodi stammered

"We'll find her, kid" Poe tried to reassure the group. He was nervous too but he wasn't about to show them to his people.

Even though he hadn't known the girl long, she quickly became an integral part of his life. He never knew one person could have such an effect, other than the General and Finn. Rey was the warmth of sunshine the Resistance strongly needed, especially in these never ending dark time.

Now that Luke Skywalker was one with the Force, they needed Rey. She was the last of the old religion. She was essential to winning this war against the First Order… or now the New Order could be won. Rey once said that Kylo Ren could be turned back to the Light. That she felt his conflict. Even with all the atrociousness of his crimes against the galaxy, the man could be redeemed, but he would pay for them dearly.

Poe believed in her with every fiber of his being. The Force wasn't something to be messed with. Like you how didn't mess with the air filters of a ship. It surrounded everything and was the reason you were alive. You had to respect it. And he did.

His group needed to find her. Or all hope of peace could be lost.

"I'm worried about her too." Finn interrupted Poe's thoughts

"I know, my friend." Poe always found Finn's presence calming. Even when he was helping him escape Starkiller Base.

"You think one of those things, Leia was talking about, got her?" questioned the ex-Stormtrooper

"No, Rey is too smart to be eaten" Poe joked lightly

"P..P...Poe, there seems to b...be something. And it's h...huge" Kodi tried to warn.

"This is true." Finn paused at the sound of a low growl in the thicket. "Poe… Poe" his voice hushed. Poe didn't need to be warned, he heard the noise too. He intuitively grabbed for the blaster in the holster around his leg.

The grumble became louder. High up in the trees the sound of snapping branches filled the dark. It felt as if the ground was throbbing.

"Blasters at the ready, men" Poe yelled at the group

Finn pointed his glowlamp towards the thicket. The trees swayed in the wind leaves rustled. The growl became louder and echoed in the field they were in. Sleeping birds escaped their nest and away from the scene.

"Keep your eyes open and torches to the trees." he rumbles of the grounds came more frequent making their bodies sync with the vibrations.

A large snap was heard, whooshing noise followed after. A giant tree had been thrown and exploded nearby. Splinter debris flew everywhere. Blasters opened fire recklessly into the treeline.

"Hold your fire" Poe bellowed. His own blaster still pointed towards the trees.

Silence.

"Anybody hurt?" Finn hollered

"I think Verza's been hit!" A member responded "But I can't tell the extent"

"Medpack!"

Behind the clearing, the trees ruffled viciously and parted. The monster advanced on them, its figure hardly discernible in the shadowy twilight of the grove. Its smell was pungent. The beast barreled through the clearing, growling and swiping at any persons near it.

"Fire! All blasters on that.. that thing" commanded Poe. The scene was pure chaos.

"I can't see the damn thing." someone cried. Blaster firelight illuminated the field. The monster was a bipedal beast that stood around 15 meters high, under the blaster lights Poe could see that the beast was hideous. *It was covered in thick, matted fur, hairless face with heavy brows. But that's all he could see under the glow of the blaster fire.

 

* * *

 

 

She forced her shaky muscles forward, trying to push her hardly functioning legs to continue running. But they faltered and shuddered, ready to give out. Rey could barely breathe, her lungs burned as they begged for relief, but she couldn't stop. Her heart hammered in her head as thin branches and lower bushes hit her as she passed.

At this point, all Rey wanted to do was hug her friends and leave this place.

' _Who hell were they?_ ' Even her thoughts were huffing along with her ragged breathing. The thought of the disembodied voices made her nauseous. The fact that they were able to control her body the way they did.

Rey immediately stopped running and puked onto the ground in front of her. But the fact that she hadn't eaten anything since before her hike, it didn't help because nothing came out. She just dry heaved and gagged, making her eyes water and her already dry throat burn even more. Rey's temples throbbed against her skull as she kept trying to expel the nothingness out of her stomach.

"Rey?" a large hand landed gently on her shoulder.

"Holy kriffing shit!" She gagged as her heart almost came up out of her throat. Rey was still hunched over and wiped her mouth. She looked up to see Kylo's worried eyes staring at her. There was a small wave of relief that crashed over her, scared it might have been the voices again

"Rey, what's happening?" Kylo seemed concerned. Even in the dark, he could see her face was flushed and the steam of her breath rapidly spilling out of her mouth. He stepped towards her.

Without hesitation, Rey clicked her blaster off her waist and shot him.

He was gone like the first time they had connected. But it was only for a split second. His image returned with more clarity.

Kylo felt her panic and anxiety. Her fear was overwhelming. He could feel her energy was drastically exhausted. The Dark swirled around her like the deep storming oceans of Kamino. But it wasn't apart of her. It was if it was haunting her, or chasing her? He swept through her emotions for any memory. He found them.

"What did they do to you?" Kylo fakely grimaced as he played along. He knew exactly what that did.

"They? Who is they?" Rey finally able to catch her breath. She looked in Kylo's eyes. It was there. The malice from her dreams. But he couldn't hurt her through the bond. Could he?

"Don't worry about it." Kylo impatiently rubbed his face and faded.

"Ben!" Rey shouted "Don't go, please" she whispered. Rey rubbed both her hands on her lowered face in annoyance.

 

* * *

 

 

"What is this thing?" Finn was worn out. He used his foot to nudge the bloody beast on the ground.

"I have no idea. But I'm glad it's dead." Versus answered. "All I know is that I need to go to medbay before these become infected." Verza swayed her right hand up and down at the thick splinters in her left arm.

"We have to find Rey, first"

"You're kidding me right?" Verza was astonished they wanted to continue the search."We were just attacked by that thing!" Verza flailed her right hand toward the monster.

"I'll take her back, commander" Eryn Adri volunteered.

"Ok, go. We'll continue our search. Be careful on the way back." Poe couldn't deny that this search was becoming more dangerous than they needed it to be.

"Force be with you" Eryn told Poe and the group. Adri helped the injured women up. Verza wrapped her good arm around Eryn's shoulder and Eryn wrapped her own arm around Verza's waist.

"S...sir." Kodi rushes his words. As he didn't want to the group to have another surprise attack "T...there's something r...running towards us."

"Able men, round 2!" Poe already in his shooting stance. His men followed his orders.

They heard the crunching of the leaves. The men were ready. Their blasters shakily pointed towards the location of the echoes.

"Get ready!" They lowered their stances ready to shoot.

Heart pounding, hoarse throat, heavy legs, Rey continued to run. Her stomach was on fire. She knew she was close. Rey saw the opening for the clearing that was before the base.

Upon entering the clearing she slowed her pace and without warning Rey saw bright blue lights flashing towards her. Without hesitation, she lifted her hand, her palm forward, and used the Force to stop the blaster fire. Rey slowly admired the beauty of the shaking blaster-fire floating before her. The blue light glowed against her skin.

"Rey!" a voice yelled coming from the direction where the blasters must have been fired. Rey shifted herself aside and let go of the blaster-fire and letting them bit the trees behind her.

"Finn!?" Rey responded as she recognized the voice. Finn dropped his blaster to the ground and ran to her, tackling her into a hug. Rey reciprocated the feeling. They hugged each other tightly like when they were reunited back on Crait.

"Where the hell have you been?" Finn not letting go.

"I…" Rey was about to explain, but the words couldn't form. "Ugh, it's so good finally see you" Rey was relieved to be in the arms of her friend.

"We've been worried sick about you, kid" Poe joined in on the hug. Their warmth filled Rey with joy. She felt the love they had for. Rey nuzzled her into Finn's neck as tears formed and tightened her grip around his torso.

How did she become so lucky to have finally found her family?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who have given this story kudos. It means the world to me!


	9. Freedom of Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things have been set in motion. The bond is becoming for frequent in their connection. The Knight of Ren have their own adjenda.

**Chapter 9:** **Freedom of Falling**

  
_Bzzt … Bzzt…_ Kylo’s comm-link activated in his tunic pocket.

“Simulation, off” he commanded the trainer droid. The scene around Kylo faded into a black room with mat’s on the floor and shiny walls. He placed his training saber on the bench and picked up the comm.

“This is Ren. Speak” Kylo rushed his words.

“Diplomat here, sir” Vrei answered. “I’m joined by the Monk, sir”

“Herald” Keir made her presence known.

“I know” Kylo pinched his nose in annoyance. He lifted his hand and lazily used the Force to summon his water canteen. “Talk” he took a deep swig

“Well… it has been quiet on their end” Keir responded “The Scav… Magpie is still a little” she corrected herself.

“Shaken up, sir” Vrei finishing Keir’s sentence. “She hasn’t left the base in two days.”

“To be honest, I don’t know if she’s even left her quarters, sir” Keir interjected.

“She’s been… meditating,” Vrei said as-a-matter-of-factly “The _Light_  surrounding her is blinding”

“Hm. And _them_?” he asked

“Do not suspect a thing, sir” Keir had a smirk in her voice

“And everything is still in order.”

“Yes, We just need our little Magpie to leave and everything will be as planned,” said Vrei

“Good” he nodded to the comm, even though the Knights couldn’t see him. He needed this to work. He needed her to be safe. In these dark times, she was the one that lifted him back into the Light. He didn’t have to admit it out loud, his Knights knew. This is how balance will be achieved.

“the Rogue?” he inquired

“He’s with you, sir,” Vrei said proudly.

“I’ve read him and he harbors no ill-intent.”

“I’ll be there in seven rotations. I’m not going to delay this longer than it has to be.” Certain things were in motion and Kylo was going to make sure that this didn’t fail.

“Yes, sir,” the Knights said simultaneously

“Ren, out” Kylo turned off the comm.

 

* * *

  
  
Rey knew she shouldn’t be feeling this way. She’s been through too much much to be this spooked. She left Jakku, she’s been kidnapped, torture, she’s even flown across the stars for Kylo, faced evil incarnate, battled harsher things than voices. But they were in her head, in the middle of the dark woods, that’s it, that’s what is making her lock herself up in her quarters?

‘ _I need to get out of here_ ’ Rey sniffed at her tunic is disgust. ‘ _Let’s start small, Rey_ ’

Rey grabbed a towel and the fresh clothes that Rose had left her. On her way, to the communal ‘fresher, she stuffed a roll of bread into her mouth and walked out to the hall.

All was quiet. ‘Must be sleeping’ Rey continued to chew her bread. She could feel the heavy delight filling her stomach.

“Rey” a bassy voice called. Rey jumped, making her drop the bread, but she knew it was ok. It was him. Not them.

“For kriffs-sake. Guess the Force isn’t giving a warning anymore is it?” Rey, not one to waste food, picked up the dropped roll and took a bite.

Kylo raised his brow with curiosity. He had something between a smirk and smile on his face. It was nice. What a stark difference it compared to the stern and stoic look he usually possessed.

“You know. The whole,” Rey stuffed a piece of bread back into her mouth as she waved her hand and continued to speak “the whole bwuwy thing.” She moved the food to one side of her cheek making it look swollen.

“Sorry, the whole foggy-echoey thing it does.” Kylo silently made an ‘O’ with his mouth.

“Right” he nodded “Good to see you’re not” he paused to quickly read her “expelling yourself on the ground.”

“Jokes? The man has jokes. Honestly, I’m surprised you even know what they are.” Rey continued down the hall, leaving Kylo behind.

“You do know who my father is right?” Rey swiftly halted her steps and turned with fury. Her blood boiling.

“Yes, and you murdered him” she spat and wet crumbs flew out her mouth and one landing on her chin.

“I thought I was doing right by my master.” He retorted. How is it this woman, with no manners, make him this way?

“Right? Right!” Rey wagged her finger dripping with sarcasm. She turned again and continued to walk away. Well, she more like stomped away from Kylo.

“I heard what you said, Rey” he called out. “Before you faded” his voice and demeanor now somber.

Rey froze. She shut her eyes and lowered her head in embarrassment.

Rey felt the Force around him. He always felt conflicted and his rage ready to pop, but he was now calm and reassured. He was hiding something. And something that usually brought a chill down her spine, but this time? It was ataractic.

Rey turned again and stared at him. Kylo looked confident, glowing almost. He stood with his back straight and shoulder high as he looked back at her. The bags under his eyes were fading. Color! There was color in his face. Was this Kylo happy? Impossible

Kylo couldn’t say the same things about Rey. She was paler than usual, again. Her frame even smaller. Her hair matted and erratic. But the Force around her was brighter. It was stronger. It was determined. Protective. He tried to read through it, but he couldn’t.

Kylo swiftly and calmly walked toward her. Rey followed suit, closing the distance between them.

Both of their breathing was shallow and nervous. Intimate. The closer Kylo came to Rey, he could see more of the freckles that were sprawled over her face.

‘ _Beautiful_ ’ he thought

They continued to stare at one another as they reached each other. Rey lifted her head to meet Kylo’s gaze. Kylo looked down to see Rey’s sparkling eyes already scanning his.

He smiled that Solo grin. Making Rey’s cheek flush with heat. Kylo pursed his lips with worry as he took his glove off. With that same shaky hand he timidly rose it to Rey’s face.

Rey closed her eyes as his hand touched her cheek. A small jolt of electricity ran through them. His thumb caressed her bottom lip as she leaned into the curve of his palm.

His touch was comforting.

Her skin was home.

“Rey” her name rumbled out of his mouth. Her hazel eyes fluttered open to meet his, again.

“Rey… Rey…” a hand grabbed her shoulder, shaking her lightly. Rey rattled her head in confusing and disappointment as Ben disappeared.

“Rey, are you ok?” It was Poe

“What?” Rey still in a daze

“You ok? You’re just standing there and talking to yourself.” Rey nodded and gave him a small smile

“This bread” she waved the last piece “So good” she laughed releasing the tension she held in her shoulders.

“It is pretty good. Who knew Finn could bake.” Poe laughed back. Rey shrugged her shoulders and laughed with him. “But really Rey, you ok? You haven’t said anything about what happened the other night.”

“Nothing. It was nothing. The dark playing tricks.” She lied “especially after waking up from that nap”

“A nap?” He raised his brows “How in the hell, kid?”

“When you’ve lived where I lived, you’d be able to fall asleep anywhere too.” Rey reminisced about her uncomfortable makeshift home in her AT-AT home on Jakku.

“Understandable” Poe nodded. “Next time you want to take a nap, make sure it’s here. Alright, kid?” Poe comfortably dropped his arm around her shoulders

Rey chuckled “Yea. So um I’m gonna go head to the ‘fresher.” She pointed her thumbs down the corridor.

“Good. You almost smell as bad as that Gorax” he joked while waving his free hand at his nose.

“Thanks, Poe”

Rey stripped down and slowly stepped into the ‘fresher, turning the water on high and letting it beat against her back in a steamy stream. Closing her eyes to the water as the heat soaked into her skin, she leaned against the cool metal as her weak legs threatened to buckle at the thought of him.

 

* * *

 

  
“Ready my ship” Kylo commanded a trooper in the hanger.

“Yes, sir”

It was time. After last night, Kylo was more determined to than ever to get Rey.

“Where do you think you’re going, Supreme Leader?” Kylo pursed his lips at the nosey ginger

“It is none of your concern, General.” hissed Kylo

“It is the concern of the galaxy wherever our Supreme Leader goes, sir” Hux gritted his teeth. Kylo rolled his eyes behind his mask.

Kylo lifted his hand to the _Force_ and used it to grip it around the ginger’s throat.

“It... is... none.. of.. your.. concern” Kylo slowly repeated. Hux clawed at his throat as he was lifted a couple of inches off the ground. He felt his blood building behind his eyes and his throat tightening.

“Yes, my leader” the General choked. Kylo let his grip go and Hux fell to the floor panting.

Kylo turned his heel and walked away. He wanted kill that red-headed sneak. The General’s time will come and when it did, he was going to make sure it was sweet.

 

* * *

 

“When are we grabbing the girl?” Kailin taking a bite of his ration bar.

“Patience big man, she’ll come out.” Aeron bent down, warming his hands to the fire.

“I want to rid of her.” Kailin taking another angry bite into his ration bar.

“We know.” Aeron rolled his eyes as stroked the fire

“Don’t underestimate the girl, Kailin. She’s more powerful than she knows.” Vrei warned

“Look how quickly she was able to go toe to toe with Ren.” Keir joined them at the fire

“She has so much potential for power.” Darik said

“I agree, but killing her? Is it truly necessary?” questioned Keir as she looked over to Vrei

“Yes!” Kailin balled his fist with vindication. “She is a complication for Kylo. He can’t afford a distraction like her. This is his galaxy now. And no one will stand in his way.”

“She is attracted to the dark as much as he. She is just surrounded by all those… Rebels” Darik spat

“We need her to see what the darkness can bring her.” Mortathi added

“She could be a great asset to the team” Keir observed

“No!” Kailin shouted “She does not deserve to be by our side, especially Kylo’s. She is no one.”

‘ _Do we need to wait for Ren?_ ’ Aeron silently spoke to the three Knights.

“Calm down, Kailin.” advised Aeron “Wait till we have her.” He looked over to Vrei and gave her a slight nod. Barely noticeable, only if you were looking.

‘ _He is becoming too erratic_ ’ Darik shifting his eyes to Keir.

“Calm down? Calm down?” Kailin’s rose to his feet “I will calm down when that scavenger is dead!”

Mortathi walked over to Kailin “My brother, we will get her. Her time has come. She will be dust with the stars.” He patted his hand on the Heavy’s shoulder

‘ _And him?_ ’ Aeron continued to eat his ration bar.

‘ _He will be dealt with as well._ ’ Vrei said

 ‘ _Let them enjoy these last moments_ ' Darik looked at the two men standing before him. He has been through a lot with these men. But this was treason to a man whom they owe their lives to. A man whom they have sworn their life to. Kylo could have easily snapped their necks at the temple if they didn't decide to join with him. They have become too cocky. And with that they have displaced their “loyalty” to Kylo Ren. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	10. Leap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia has finally found the hope she so long searched for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, I am so sorry for this two-week slump. I had caught the flu and just now finally recovered. It really threw me in for a loop. Also, this chapter just did not want to be written. This has probably been the toughest chapter I've written so far. But it's also become the most essential and important chapter written.
> 
> So please, enjoy!

**Chapter 10 : Leap**

 

The cadre of the Resistance sat around the dilapidated hanger of the old Empire base. Leia had called for the group together. The last couple of days, they have been able to finally breathe and grieve for the loss of their friends. Even if they had time on the Falcon. But they all knew that the time for mourning was truly over.

"My friends, the time for sorrow is over. But we've also had weeks on the Falcon to do so." Leia said looking at the sullen faces of the Resistance. She looked as regal as she could. Even if she was only in her grey flight suit, navy blue vest, boots, and braided hair. "I know we have suffered so much loss in these last couple of weeks. We are strong. But we must take this opportunity, at least, to try and recruit people for our cause. And, once again, take up arms against the tyranny of this New Order."

"I understand if you don't have it in you to fight anymore." Leia felt through the  _Force_  to read their emotions. Each person was scattered in their feelings. Verza wanted to go home to Coruscant to see her family again. Kodi was an orphan and had no home. Eryn wanted to continue to fight alongside Leia and fight in memory of her fallen friends. The others were mixed with wanting to stay and not knowing what to do. She knew they believed in the cause. But they also believed that the New Order had won the war. The small crowd remained silent.

"Ma'am, none of our allies have tried to even reach out to us. Offering no help." Eryn finally breaking the stillness. Her voice was apprehensive. "They have yet to even answer any of our messages."

"This is why we need to send them a reason to believe in us again." Leia looked at Rey. "Rey, I know I should have asked of you this privately. I truly apologize," Leia continued to look at the girl with her tired eyes.

Rey knew what the General was to ask of her.

"You are the first of a new breed of Jedi. We need people to see that the Jedi are no longer a myth. Maybe we can also find other force-sensitive people in the process, who have been in hiding, and help them understand the power they possess." The cluster of people murmured between each other.

"She is not some cattle to be auctioned off, General" Kora trying to defend Rey. Rey gave the girl an irritated look. She bit the side of her cheeks in disdain as the people around talked about her as she weren't in the same space.

"No one said anything about auctioning off, Kora!" Leia gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on her cane. "Just conversations with leaders and possibly building relations with new allies. Showing people that we haven't given up on them even when they've given up on us."

"You're asking Rey to risk her life. Our lives, ma'am," Finn finally interrupted. "Not to mention she's quite possibly the most wanted person in the galaxy."

"It's risky, yes. She can bring hope to the people." Leia pinched her nose in frustration. "The New Order has taken over countless planets, since Crait, draining them of their natural resources, leaving the people with nothing."

"General, I have a bad feeling about this," Poe said cautiously

"Says the man who disobeyed orders, in order to blow up a Dreadnaught for his own ego, and risked the many lives of our people." Leia's words cut through Poe like a fine slice from a vibroblade. The room became silent again.

Leia walked over to Poe and calmly placed her hand on the pilot's shoulder. She gave him a look any worried mother would give their child to try and comfort them. "I'm sorry, Dameron. We've all fought for so long and so hard. We can't give up now." She continued to walk through the faction.

"Again, I will understand if any of you want to leave now. I will not stop, nor try to convince you. This includes you, Rey." Leia walked over to where Rey was sitting, on top of an old crate.

Rey felt Leia's plea. She wanted to do everything to help her friends, her first family. Sacrifices needed to be made in order for this to happen. Including her safety.

"I'll do it," Rey said quietly

"I'm sorry?" Finn looked at his friend in horror. This feeling was mutual around the hanger.

"I said I'll do it" Rey affirmed, her voice a little louder

"You can't" Thek Roy yelled firmly.

"We can't risk the biggest asset we have!" Crev Synn agreeing with Thek

"If she's our biggest asset then why are we just letting her sit here and do nothing?" Verza argued, "I agree with General Organa, we need to show the people we are still with them."

Rey jumped off her crate with anger. Her friends kept speaking about her as if she weren't there. And it made her feel used.

"You are speaking of all this as if I don't have a voice in the matter" Rey screamed. All eyes on her now. "This is  _my_  choice! This is  _my_  life on the line. I know what I'll be risking to try and defeat the Order. You're all acting as if this something I haven't been doing."

All eyes, now guilty, looked away from Rey.

"I'm so sorry, Rey" apologized Lieutenant Connix. Rey crossed her arms and nodded in acceptance. 

"Question General?" Cova Nell asked "If we are going to send Rey throughout the galaxy, how is she going to travel there? I mean we can't take the Falcon, it's too recognizable"

"And all the ships here pretty much inoperable" Rose added.

"Ladies, I'm very glad you" Leia smirked a confident smirk

 

* * *

 

Kylo stared out of the cockpit watching the endless blue light of hyperspace pass him by. He always felt at peace with flying through the darkness of space, it was his only enjoyable trait. Something he knew he'd inherit from his father, and was ok with. Growing up, Han taught him everything he knew about ships. How to fly them, how to manage them, how to fight with them. It was one of the happy memories that always made him fight with the Light inside. Han wasn't the best of fathers, Kylo knew this.

Flying calmed his maddening mind and shattered soul. This is where he felt some kind of peace until she came along. She turned his universe upside-down. She was filled with all the good the galaxy could possess. She was innocent and naive. But she was also strong and stubborn with a determined heart. Kylo was the bug and Rey was the light it was attracted to. He knew she was his equal. It was why he offered her to rule with him. To become Supreme Leaders, together.

' _She'll see we're on the same side_ ' Kylo took in a deep breath and rubbed his face out of stress.

With a flicker, the light of hyperspace slowed. The beeping of the console became muffled, the blurry lights blinked at a steady pace.

He inhaled sharply. Shoulders tensed. Heart raced. At his peripheral, there she was. Sitting there in the co-pilot seat, eyes closed, chin high, and legs crossed. Rey looked better than she had two days ago. Her hair was neatly pulled back, her clothes clean and crisp. Beads of sweat formed at her hairline.

Without opening her eyes Rey acknowledged him. "Ben"

"Don't call me that," Kylo cringed at the sound of his true name. There was a minute or two of silence before Rey opened one of her eyes and turned her head to Kylo.

Kylo trying to concentrate on the slow pace of blue light outside so he his anger wouldn't burst. "It's your name is it not?" Rey calmly laced her fingers together across her lap.

"No, it's not" he shook his head "Ben is dead."

Rey rolled her eyes away from Kylo and shook her head. Silence took over, again, for a moment as their tension calmed.

"Meditation?" Kylo inquired, breaking the stillness.

"No. Not really," Rey said as she looked forward and closed her eyes again. "But I am a little distracted."

"Sorry" he shuffled in his seat.

"It's not you. I just…" Rey took in a deep breath of despair "I have these books that I sort of can't understand." Rey's face scrunched. Kylo found it a bit endearing.

"Books?" he asked, puzzled. "Are they not in Basic or binary"

"Well, yes and no. I just don't understand a lot of what they're trying to convey." She was frustrated as she looked to be changing the pages of the book. "I think it's what I deserve for stealing some really old Jedi books from Master Luke."

"You truly are a rebel, aren't you?" he puffed through his nose, a some-what beginning sound of a laugh escaped his mouth.

"You know how to do that?" Rey raised her brows in awe. For such a brooding man, she didn't think he had it in him to smile, let alone laugh.

"Do what?" Kylo curiously looked at Rey

"Laugh." She now looked at him brightly knowing her gut feeling never strayed her wrong about the man in front of her. He still had a light inside of him, she felt it.

"I'm only human, Rey." Kylo looked away. The way he said her name reverberated through her body. "These books, they don't happen to be the actual Jedi text?"

"That's what Master Luke had said," Rey shrugged. "They're actually written instead of on a datapad. They're quite beautiful."

"I remember." Kylo rose to his feet. He rose both arms above his head and stretched. His shirt lifted with him showing the bottom of his muscled torso. Rey couldn't help but stare. Kylo noticed and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Rey immediately snapped her head and looked the other way.

 

* * *

 

Leia was worried more than ever. She knew the Resistance to be over. But she wouldn't let it die this way. These were her people. This was her family. She was going to protect them with everything she's got.

With a sudden pull. She felt a familiar presence. A presence she hadn't felt since the Raddus.

"Ben" Leia whispered, one hand gripping her cane, the other shakily covering her mouth. Tears welled in her old eyes.

She felt her son. But it couldn't be. This feeling was different than what she felt before she was exiled from the main bridge. Then, he was shrouded in darkness and anger, filled with sorrow and grief. Now? Ben felt  _different_. He felt lighter. There was a solace. The  _Force_  around him and his emotions were quiet and collected. Leia had never felt this from her son before. Even when her belly was swollen with Ben, she had still felt the natural dark tendrils that wrapped him.

"Rey" a smile perked on her wrinkling face. Her heart leaped with the possibility of her son's return. This was the closest she's felt to her son Ben, and not Kylo, in a very long time. All she wanted to do was hug her boy again. Whom was now a man. She would do anything to have that chance given to her again.

This was the determination Leia needed. This was the hope she'd been searching for. This was her newest mission.

Bring Ben home.


	11. Brightside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Chapter 11 is finally here. It's kind of not my favorite chapter. But at the same time, it is? I don't know. In the process of writing this one I somehow started writing parts of the ending for this story. It just kind of popped into my head and it came spilling out. But don't worry, it's gonna be awhile before we get there. And also thank you to the people who have commented! You're all awesome.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

* * *

**Chapter 11: Brightside**

Poe's jaw dropped to the floor when the turbolift doors hissed open. The site he was seeing couldn't be real. It was glorious. Magnanimous

"How is this here?" Poe couldn't take his eyes off of the view. It was an underground bunker. They had to be about 1,000 meters deep into the base. Poe's ears popped as they took the turbolift down.

"This is beautiful." He walked alongside the ship with his hand resting on the siding. It was a Rendili Stardrive light corvette with a Class 720 freighter docked in between its long prongs.

"Isn't it?" Leia smiled at the pilot.

"But how is this still here?" Rey asked, her eyes wide with wonder.

"I'm guessing after we blew up the second Death Star, the Empire abandoned this place. And since they were pretty much dismantled, after a couple of years, it was simply forgotten." Leia explained.

"And how was this found? I thought the Alliance would have raided this place." Connix asked. She couldn't remove her eyes from the ship. It was as if the ship came right off the factory line. Pristine condition.

"I'm not sure how we missed this. But thanks to BeeBee-Ate here, he was able to, somehow, slice into a top-secret database." Leia smiled as she tapped her cane against the bulbous droid.

He responded with a whirl and happy beeps.

"Of course R2 helped" C-3PO added

"Of course." Leia continued to smile. "Oh and this? This isn't all. Stay here and give me a moment. BB8 would you please? " with another set of happy beeps, BB8 rolled towards a set of rusted keypads on the other side of the hanger. Leia slowly followed the droid.

Poe and the rest of the small crew watched as BB8 popped out one of his metal limbs and into a keypad on the wall. With a few beeps and whirs, there was a sudden rumble. The wall in front of them hadn't been a wall at all but another set of bay doors.

The doors split slowly as they screeched along their tracks. The sound was deafening and echoed through the hanger. A dim artificial light gleamed between the opening slit. Poe stepped forward, along with the rest of the crew.

Leia stepped aside with BB8 and uttered one word with a brilliant and bright smile as her crew walked passed her.

"Hope."

 

* * *

 

There was a shift in the _Force_. Vrei felt it as she practiced her forms in the dark forest. She paused to catch her breath, not from the physical exertion, but from a spiritual one. The ripple hit her like a blast to the chest, knocking the air from her lungs. Her head was spinning. But the moment passed quickly. The time was becoming closer.

Keir and Darik ran to the _Force_ -sighted woman. "Vrei!" they yelled in unison

"I felt it too" Vrei lifting her hand toward the two Knights and grabbing her chest.

"So it's truly happening?" Keir asked, panting

"It's time to get ready. It's going to happen quickly." Vrei warned

"How many rotations?" Darik paced back and forth with his hand stroking the back of his helmet.

"Three," Vrei affirmed as she gathered herself.

"I'm still not sure about this. This is going against everything we've done in the last 8 years." Darik worried.

"This is right. This is treason" Keir said, helping Vrei back to her feet.

"Yes, yes it is." Vrei agreed

"They are still our brothers" Darik pleaded to his Knight sisters.

"I know" Darik looked at Vrei's non-existent eyes. "This must be done. They have shamed Kylo, they have shamed us. They have conspired against our leader." she said

"What Kylo is going to do to them, will be deserved."

"But how can we trust him after this?" Darik asked. Keir used the _Force_ to push the man.

"Are you questioning your loyalty as well? We were forced into this life, Darik. It was slaughter or survival. We all chose Kylo no matter what!"

"No" Darik shook his head as he straightened himself up. "But we need to get her out of that base first."

 

* * *

 

The crew continued to walk through the opening doors. Behind the doors, there was a small fleet of new and abandoned ships. This hangar was bigger than the one they just walked in from. Everything from TIE fighters, to Imperial support vessels, to Lambda-class T-4a shuttle, to a few ISP-6 Imperial Shuttle pods, to TIE Interceptors.

"Is that a VT-49 Decimator?" Poe yelled in excitement and ran to the ship. He tenderly caressed the hull of the ship like it was a newborn.

"This…" Rey was astonished, to say the least. She had seen most of these ships on Jakku, but they were all rusted and hollowed out by scavengers. She was excited to see them in their full glory.

"By the _Force_. Oh, I can't wait to get my hands on that bad boy." Cova Nell eyeing one of the TIE silencers in the back.

"Not so fast, Cova." Leia interrupted. "Chewie has been looking over the ship's data. Some of these ships had flaws and some were simply unflyable. We believe this is why they were stored down here."

"You have got to be kidding me?" Finn cried out in frustration. All Rey could do was place a calming hand on her friend.

"Now that we have our best pilots down here, maybe we can figure out some of the flaws and work on them?" Leia looked over to Cova and Poe.

"You don't have to ask me twice." Poe jumped onto the ship and entered the cockpit. "As a kid, I've always wanted to fly one of these babies." Rey laughed at her friend's enjoyment. The spark in their eyes and especially in their hearts had returned. Rey felt it along through the thrum of the Force around them.

Rey looked around as the crew ogled over the ships in excitement. Connix spoke with C'ai Threnalli under a TIE fighter. Connix flirting with Poe as he checked over the Decimator's cockpit. Rey hadn't noticed the older General standing by her side.

"Rey" Leia gripped her cane.

"Leia, this is wonderful. This is what we needed." Rey gave her a small smile

"Rey, can we speak somewhere private, please?"

"Of course," Rey felt Leia's worry. "Is everything ok?" The General gave her a small nod.

After a few quiet minutes up the turbolift, they were back to the main level, while everybody was still downstairs admiring the small fleet.

"Rey. I know"

"I'm sorry?" Rey confused.

"Ben." Rey looked at her with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. "I felt him."

"I was going to tell you" Rey lied. Leia lifted her brow to the girl, sensing she wasn't telling the truth "One day.."

"How long has this been happening?"

"Um…" Rey stuttered "Since Ahch-To, I guess."

"Do you know how this has happened?"

"Snoke" Rey said quickly as not have that name in her mouth. "When I tried to turn Kylo to our side, Snoke said he had 'bridged' our minds because Kylo was weak and that I was naive enough to take the bait. He wasn't wrong" Rey lowered her head and looked away.

"Mm" Leia nodded

"I'm so sorry I couldn't change him." tears stinging Rey's eyes.

"Oh Rey. You already have." She reassured the tearing girl. "I felt it in him. He's changed somehow. All that malice I felt on the Raddus, it's simmered, significantly."

"I highly doubt it. He's still Supreme Leader." scoffed Rey as she wiped the escaped tear.

"There's more than he's letting on, Rey." Leia gave Rey one last smile. "Also, Rey? You don't have to travel and risk your safety if you are not comfortable."

"General, I want to. If it will help the Resistance in any way. And if we're able to fix any of those ships down there, like you said, it's the hope we've all been searching for. What we've all been holding out for."

 

* * *

 

Kylo continued to sit in the main hold of the ship, legs cramping under the console. His thoughts running wild. What were his Knights going to do to her before he arrived? Was it even worth it? He still needed the four of his Knights to ‘play’ along with the two defectors, even if that meant causing Rey harm in the process.

A familiar purr of the  _Force_  enveloped him. Again, there she was, sitting in his co-pilot seat.

"Ben" Rey's smile was bright this time.

"Rey" he twitched at the sound of his name "That's not my name"

"That again?" she rolled her eyes

"Why are you so happy? I can feel it."

"Wouldn't you love to know" Rey dripping with sarcasm.

"Not really" there was silence between them again. Kylo saw Rey stand and walk over to an invisible spot and sit back down again, but this time she was on the floor.

"Why didn't you take my hand, Rey?" Kylo asked, all emotion forcibly absent from his voice. His eyes silent with remorse.

"You know I couldn't," she said with a hitched breath

"Yes, you could have. You would have had everything, Rey." The pain in his throat made his voice quiver. "We would have it all, _together_!"

"Ben… I'm sorry" her heart shattered more once as she looked into his deep brown eyes and feeling his own anguish roaring through the _Force_. "I couldn't leave my friends to die. I couldn't…" Rey began to choke on her words as tears began to sting her eyes, once again.

"You couldn't what?" Kylo's anger beginning to rise. The _Force_ around him quivering with the dark.

"You know why. I couldn't let Leia die."

"Parental figures" Kylo crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back in his pilot seat.

"I'm not having this conversation with you" Rey wiped the tears from her face.

"So be it" Kylo lifted himself from his chair, walked away and left the cockpit.

"Ben!" He ignored her and continued to walk. Rey rose to her feet and followed. "Where are you going?" Her own legs struggling to keep up with strides of his long legs.

Kylo slowed his stride down the corridor. He could still hear Rey's feet following behind.

"Ben, please" Rey pleaded "Please understand. They… they're the only family I've ever known. And you know that."

He stopped his pace and turned to her. His head was down, his face staring at where her reflection should be on the shiny black floor.

"I know you wanted to join me, Rey. I saw it in you. In the vision, when we touched," He said lowly without raising his head. "You were by my side with the galaxy in our hands." His left arm lifted and hand clenched into a fist. But there was no bitterness in his voice.

"I saw the same thing, Ben. You were at my side but we weren't ruling, we were fighting for a better cause. To find balance in the galaxy." Rey slowly stepped toward him. The drumming of their  _Force_  intertwining with each other, bringing them both calm.

Rey reached her hand to Kylo's balled fist. Electricity ran through them, making them shiver. Her hand was warm again his forever cold skin.

"Ben, it doesn't have to be this way. Come home." Kylo opened his balled fist and laced them between Rey's. "Your mother misses you."

Kylo's hand tenderly tightened between hers. He closed his eyes as Rey reach up to touch the scar she had given him. Kylo let out a shuddered breath and leaned into her touch.

"I'm so sorry" her fingers continued to travel down his scar, from his face to chin, down to the side of this throat. She stopped at the hem of his collar and looked up into his brown eyes. She felt all he had. All of his sorrow, his torment, all of his regrets, and shame. All of those feelings were about her and her alone.

Kylo shut his eyes. "I deserved it"

And once again, the  _Force_  separated them. The lingering of Rey's touch burned Kylo's skin.

"Three more rotations" he repeatedly whispered to himself in the hall.


	12. Time is Running Out

**Chapter 12** **: Time is Running Out**

"I'm tired of waiting!" Kailin said while angrily hacking his sword into the trees around him.

"Stop acting like a child, Bailo. Your obsession is beginning to fester." Aeron flicking dirt off his glove.

"You do not tell me what to do!" Kailin turned with a quickness, his giant sword inches away from Aeron's masked face. "You are  _nothing_  but a puppet for Ren."

"Aren't we all?" Darik said quietly as he rolled his eyes, growing bored

Aeron rested his shoulder blades against the bark of a tree as he watched the Heavy swing his massive sword into a tree. He was growing bored of the man's whining about the scavenger. These last couple of days have been insufferable. His continued talk about this girl from nowhere. ' _She is not worthy_ ', ' _She is nobody_ ', ' _She was struck by the luck of the Maker, by being able to defeat Kylo_ '.

_She, she, she, she_

Aeron rolled his bi-colored eyes as he looked at the man going back to having his childlike tantrum. He looked over to Darik, he too, was inwardly expressing the same emotion.

' _His tantrums are becoming far worse than Ren's_.' Aeron speaking to Darik through the  _Force._

Darik chuckled ' _That, you are right my brother._   _A bit cosmic isn't it_?'

"You find this funny? We sit here like sitting ducks, while she plays rebel with those … those people" Bailin screamed

On the other side of the clearing, Keir squinted at the defector Mortathi. She couldn't believe that this man would betray them, betray Kylo… betray her. They sought solace in each other in the time after the fall of Master Skywalker and before they became the Knights of Ren. They've spent countless secret nights together, on outer rim planets, when they weren't on a mission. They were tired of this life. The fighting, the constant barking orders.

' _Your heart is showing_ ' Vrei snuck into her mind. Keir looked over at the women and hardened her face. ' _Don't let this cloud you. If not now, he would have later. Don't make this harder_.'

Keir nodded to her, picked up her cloak and walked away to her ship.

As she walked to her ship, there was a deep rumble. It was violent and loud. The ground and the trees shook around her. Keir covered her ear, protecting them from the horrendous metal screeching that violated the air.

"What the hell was that?!" She tried screaming over the noise.

"I can't hear you" Vrei replied in her clipped accent. ' _I can't hear you!'_ She screamed back at her through the  _Force._

"What!?" Keir still couldn't hear the woman.

Then a quick silence. A high pitched ringing echoing in their ears. And out of nowhere, a familiar whining sound zoomed above them.

All the Knights froze, staring up at the sky, jaws dropped.

"Is that what I think it was?" Mortathi first to break the silence and used the photoreceptors of his helmet to scan the sky.

"No!" Kailin screamed, "I'm taking her NOW!" Kailin sheathed his sword, clipped his helmet on, and rapidly walked away.

"Time for the hunt, brothers, and sisters" Mortathi smirked as he stroked the modified shotgun that laid upon his chest. He lifted himself off the log and followed.

* * *

Poe couldn't resist, he needed to fly again. Mostly because he needed that freedom of flight, to be in the air. He began to go stir-crazy after being underground for the most part of the week.

He greedily looked over the console like an old lover, even though they've just met. Seductively running his fingers across the surface of the dust-covered buttons treating it tenderly. The panel was more outdated than the one he had stolen on Starkiller Base, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.

"There you are, you beauty" With an excited bite of his lower lip, he found the what he was looking for. With a small twitch of his finger, he flicked the red switch up. The ship roared to life. The TIE fighter pulsed around him. Lights on the console twinkled for the first time in over 30 years. Then the ship calmly turned to a purr as the engine warmed. Poe read all the gauges and scans, everything was working perfectly. So he hoped.

"Beebee-Ate open those doors" Poe yelled through the open cockpit. He sat back into the seat, buckled himself, put his helmet on, and turned on the thrusters. The ship hesitated a little.

"Come on, sweet thing. You can do this" he sweetly pleaded to the fighter ship. He gave the ship a couple of seconds before he gave the thrusters another go.

"Alright, you got this." He flipped the switch again. The thruster sputtered and forced itself to continue. "Atta, girl"

"Beebee-Ate, those doors, please!" BB-8 beeped and blipped. After a few moments, a deafening metal being heavily scratched filled the bunker as the doors opened. The setting sunlight filled above the dark hanger like a cavern. Poe flicked another switch above him and the ship wobbled as it slowly lifted off the ground.

Up

Up

Up… the ship went out of the hanger. Poe's smile stretched from ear to ear. He flipped another switch, pressed another button, and checked the gauges. Everything seemed to continuously be running smoothly.

"There we go, slowly" His excitement growing more the higher he went "Gently"

Poe could make the outline of shadows, of trees, stretching across the edges of the opening.

A static noise came through his helmet "Poe, can you hear me?" It was Rey

"Sure thing kiddo" he tapped the side of the helmet "you're coming a little choppy, but it's fine."

"How's is it?" There was a jovial sound to her voice

"So far, so good." He smirked "Nothing's smoking."

"Not funny, Dameron" he heard Cova Nell in the background. He laughed into the com of the helmet.

Nothing but pure bliss coursed through his body in the next moments. The sun poured into his cockpit. Poe gripped the yoke as the dirt began to surround him as he flew higher out of the ground. He wished BB-8 were able to fly with him, his little buddy, a partner in flight.

Rey, Lieutenant Connix, Cova Nell, and Cai Thranalli laughed as they heard Poe whooping through the com.

* * *

"Oh, I can't wait to modify these engines," said Cova Nell, "These things were top class in their day. But, even now, they're way advanced than some of the ships we had."

"Yungm'cha" Cai Thranalli nodded in agreement in his growly native tongue, waving a torque wrench. Cova padded the Abednedo-ian on his shoulder and continued to tinker on the TIE Silencer

"When I was a kid, on Jakku, I used to pretend to fly one of the these. I even used to wear a rebel helmet as I 'escaped' from the Empire. " Rey reminisced about her old life.

"Really?" Connix asked, removing a panel from the Silencer.

"Yea, there wasn't really much to do. You know, being a junkyard planet and all." Rey scoffed.

"Did you have a lot of children to play with?" asked Rose

"No, not really. I knew kids, that I scavenged with. But that's about it." Rey continued playing with the buttons of a console.

"I know how you feel. Growing up, it was just me and Paige on Hays Minor." Rose subconsciously rubbed the half-medallion around her neck as she threw a wrench to Rey.

Rey nodded as she began unscrewing bolts on the console of the TIE Fighter she sat in. As she began to pull the panel she was unscrewing, the world around her became foggy.

"Oh, kriff" she mumbled to herself. Rey continued to pull the panel, exposing the wiring and electronic boards behind it.

" _What in Maker are you doing?_ " She could hear Kylo. Rey ignored him " _Rey_?"

"I can't speak right now" she mumbled. Rey playing and pulling wires that were connected to a black box.

" _Are we not alone?_ " Kylo looked around, even though all he could see was Rey with a wrench in her mouth and wires in her hands, beads of sweat forming between her brows

Rey looked over to her friends and roughly smiled to Rose with the wrench still between her lips. A little dribble of drool began to pool and spill out of her mouth.

In a small swoop, Kylo bent over and with his thumb wiped some of the drool from her mouth. Rey's body quickly reacted by shooting up and making her head slam against the under part of the cockpit console.

"Nooo!" Making Rey's eyes widen and the wrench to fall out with a loud clank against TIE's cockpit floor.

"You ok?" Cova yelled in worry.

She responded with a loud MHM. Rey winced and rubbed the throbbing spot on her head. She rose her eyes to give him a dirty look only to see a glistening bare chest in front of her. Her eyes grew wider, her breathing shallowed, as she realized one of his hands were gripping a black towel around his waist.

She immediately looked up at his face, her cheeks red as the sky of Mustafar, and her hazel eyes refusing to blink. With her face toward him, her eyes wandered everywhere else trying not to notice as the glistening water from his hair dripping and landing on his collarbone, then falling to his chest, slowly rolling down to his abs and be soaked up by the towel he held.

" _My eyes are up here,"_ Kylo used his two fingers to give her the  _watching-you-watching-me_  signal _._ All with the signature Solo grin.

Rey stood to her feet, stumbling out of the cockpit, landing hard on her hands and knees.

"Holy kriff, Rey!" Connix ran over to help her up. "Are you ok?"

"Yea… yea" Rey refused her help "I'm… I'm…"

Kylo was now standing next to Connix with that smirk plastered on his face. When their eyes met, he twitched his eyebrow up as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Can you put on clothes are something?" Rey hovered her hand over her eyes. She felt like she was going to throw up her heart.

' _Oh! He's beautiful. I wonder what his chest feels like_ ' Rey violently shook her head at the thought. Her imagination running wild. She wanted to run her finger through his ink black hair and place her lips on his full lips again. Once again her thoughts continued to betray her.

"Um… I am wearing clothes?" Connix said slowly "Are you sure you're ok? Did your head on the way down?" worrying about her.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just gonna…" Rey words fumbled out. For a split second, she thought she heard Kylo laugh. It was an odd and satisfying sound. " _What are you laughing at_?" She spat.

"I'm not laughing at anything, Rey." Connix looked around.

"Ugh" Rey let out a big sigh and stomped off.

"Maybe you should go to Medbay!" Nell bellowed out. Rey waved her hand as she continued to walk to the turbo lift, Kylo following behind.

* * *

"Bailo, STOP!" Screamed Aeron chasing after the man. For a stocky man, he moved with a swiftness.

"Oh let the man get what he wants." Mortathi nonchalantly waived the man.

"Are you insane! We will be caught."

"Are you scared of rebel scum like them?" Mortathi's voice raising

"No" Aeron responded, shifting his eyes to Vrei.

"Ren, gave us strict orders to get that girl when the time was right" Mortathi lied. Aeron's nose flared, with anger, under his mask. But his emotions vibrated through the  _Force._ "And the time  _is_  right!"

"Why are you so mad, my brother? Is there something upsetting you about this?" Darik played along.

Aeron slowly calmed himself. "No" he retorted

"Good" Mortathi headed towards Kailin's direction, continuing to follow him, Killstreak in hand.

* * *

"But seriously, could you put something one?" Rey continued to face the turbidity doors.

"I am covered up."

"No, you're no…." Rey's body stiffened and turned her head to her side as if she saw something other than Kylo. More like sensed, Her body shivered, her stomach turned, her face blank. It was the same terrible gut-wrenching feeling she was given by those voices.

"Rey?" Kylo grabbed her shoulder. All her emotions shot through his mind. She was scared. It was his Knights. They were close. They're coming. "It's too soon."

Rey snapped out of her daze, stomach still in knots. Fear and anxiety coursing through her veins. "What did you just say?" she turned to him.

"Not yet," Kylo said angrily, he was paying no attention to Rey. She saw him sit in an invisible seat and start poking multiple somethings. For a split second, she had thought she saw the viewport of a cockpit, hyperspace whizzing by.

"I'm  _sorry_? Do you know where we are?" realizing what was happening. Rey herself began to press the turbolift buttons as if it would make it go any faster.

"Of course, I know where you are." He continued to click switches, press button on his cockpit panel.

"Oh Maker, I... have to... tell Leia..." Rey was beginning to hyperventilate, her head becoming light-headed, mouth dry. "I can't breath." On hand grabbing her chest, the other hand the wall, holding her up. It felt like all of the air in her lungs left her body.

Without taking his hands off the console, Kylo looked at Rey. "It's ok, Rey. Just keep breathing. Just give me a … second. Ok."

Kylo moved over to Rey and placed himself in front of her. "Ok, calm down. I used to have these all the time as a kid."

" _Calm down_? Are you  _mad_ , you know where we are. The whole First Order knows we're here." fumbled Rey. "Can't you just leave us alone? Don't touch me!" she screamed. Kylo tried to place his hands on her shoulders to try and calm her.

"Rey, look at me." He gently grabbed for her shoulders again, this time she didn't retract. "The First Order knows nothing of the Resistance's location." Rey still shaking, looked into his eyes. She was reading eyes for any deception. "I'm telling the truth."

"You are telling the truth," she affirmed. Her nerves began to settle with his sincerity. She could feel his truth. She felt his anger but it wasn't towards her or the Resistance. It was for something else she couldn't precisely pinpoint.

"And what did you mean by ' _Not yet_ '?" she aggressively asked.

' _We're coming for you, Scavenger_ ' a heavy-bodied voice came into her head.


	13. The Game is Afoot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy wow! I can't believe it's been almost two months since the last chapter. I promise have not abandoned this story. I am so sorry for this long delay. Please forgive me. I got caught up with work, life, and acting class. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Without further ado
> 
> Enjoy!

  **Chapter 13: The Game is Afoot**

"NO!" Rey fell to her knees, arms clutching her head. She couldn't breathe, it was as if there was someone wrapping their fingers around her throat and squeezing the air out from her. It felt as if her chest was caving in and all she wanted to do was curl up into herself and wait for someone to save her. But she knew no one would and that he wasn't actually there.

A choked cry for help forced itself up her throat, and she felt tears beginning to run down her cheek. "Why is this happening to me, Ben?" Rey looked up at him with sorrow in her eyes.

"Rey!" Kylo carefully touched her back. All her emotions came flooding through him, forcing him to feel what she felt.

Dread.

Anxiety.

Fear.

Her adrenaline flew through his veins like a scalefish through the river, but he couldn't move a single muscle, the absolute panic paralyzed him. Especially when he heard his Knight.

 _'We're coming for you, Scavenger'_  It was Kailin.

He could feel her shivering beneath his fingertips, the terror they gave her. She didn't possess an ounce of this trepidation when she so blindly fought him on Starkiller Base. Or with Snoke, when he was torturing and assaulting her mind for his uncle. The Knights had left something deeply rooted within her and he couldn't understand why.

 _'Oh, the wonderful things we will do to you.'_  Kylo heard. It was Mortathi Ti Rhea teasing Rey. In blind anger, he clutched the fabric of Rey's tunic in his fists.

' _This wasn't the plan._ ' his mind echoed.

The fury inside was a raging boil. He wanted to slice the men in half. There wasn't anything he could do to help. 1. He was on a ship that was still two days from Endor. And 2. He was in a towel. But, sadly, this was the price that needed be to paid before he, and he alone was able to strike them down.

"Get up," he told her sternly. "Rey! Get. Up!" with the fabric still balled in his fist, Kylo pulled Rey to her feet.

Rey snapped out of her hysterics. "Excuse you!" she shoved her shoulder from his grasp.

"You need to go to your room and pack anything you can fit in a bag and run." he ordered "Food, clothes, anything."

"What?" Rey looked at him confused.

"Maker, Rey! Just listen to me." He pressed his two hands together, pointing in her direction "Once this turbolift gets to the top level, get to your quarters, pack a bag and run fast as hell. And hide! I'll find you when I get to Endor." Kylo instructed.

"Wait… wha… I'm sorry?" her heart smacking against her chest cavity. "You can see my surroundings?" She questioned

"Are you even listening to me, Rey?" Kylo, not paying attention to her, and tenderly placed his hands on her shoulders. "They're going to _hurt_ you," he warned.

In the midst of the hysteria, the _Force_ strengthened their bond without them noticing. Kylo slowly looked around to realize he was able to finally the world around her with pure clarity. Rey wasn't his only point of vision in their connection. He could hear the whirring of pulleys of the turbolift, see the fluorescent lighting of the panels on the walls, feel the slight rumble of the lift moving upward.

In a blank fog, Rey looked at Kylo. She could only see the bits and pieces of his surrounding as well. She could feel the thrum of his ship, see the shadows of the hallways, hear the beeping of the cockpit.

"How is this possible?" she asked

"Something we can figure out later." The turbolift dinged indicating its arrival to the level. Kylo gave Rey a look of longing before he pushed her out the lift. "You're here. Go! I'll find you."

"And if _they_ find me?" Rey took his hand, refusing to let go.

"Don't fight back. Mortathi loves it when prisoners fight back. Kailin… well, he loves to torture." Kylo stepped forward, placed a hand on her cheek and his forehead on to hers. "I'm so sorry."

Rey nodded holding the flood behind her eyes and began to slowly walk backward whilst trying to keep his hands in her grasp.

"Go, Rey!"

She gave one last look his way, seeing the confines of the cockpit behind the doors of the turbolift before they closed.

 

* * *

 

Hushed conversations swirled in a dirty cloud of smoke, the stagnant stench of the smoked tabac hid within the cantina. The sharp smell of spilled alcohol permeated the air. In the shadows of the seedy cantina sat a woman who fiddled with her comm in one hand and swirled her drink in the other.

Bazine Netal wondered who the client was that she was meeting. She was contacted 3 days prior to meet in this dump on Corellia. The message was one of the most encrypted messages she'd ever received, so it must have been somebody important.

She watched the doors carefully to try and guess who they were when they walked through.

"Deathstick, gorgeous?" a scraggly voice interrupted.

"Go away," Bazine said in a bored manner without looking away from the doors.

"Oh, come on. It's the best stuff around." the voice begged.

"I said go away!" She annoyingly waived the voice away. The creature, that the voice belonged to, grabbed her arm. With the quickness of a blinked eye, she grabbed his face and slammed it into the table she was sitting at.

"Ugh, now look what you’ve gone and done. You've wasted a perfectly good drink," she said unbothered. The entire cantina looked her way, staring at the creature on the floor. Bazine nonchalantly wiped the spilled drink from her and looked up, the cantina quickly continued back to business. She stepped over the unconscious creature and toward the door. Before she was able to step two more steps another pair of strong hands gripped tightly around her left arm. But before she could react another body grasped her right arm and pushed a nozzle of a blaster to her back.

"You'll be coming with us Ms. Netal" she looked to her left to see a stern but handsome looking man with steel blue eyes, a shaved head, and tanned skin.

"Oh, no need to be rough, boys," Bazine spoke seductively and rose her hands in defeat. "I'll go anywhere you want me to." She turned to her right and winked at the other man with similar hair but with green eyes and milky-white skin.

 

* * *

 

"FUUUCK!" Kylo screamed and pulled the back of his hair. There was an urgent beeping that kept flashing on his console. He tried to calm himself before answering, it didn't work. He slammed his fist against the button to answer.

"What!" he retorted

"Sir, it's Vrei" He could hear her ragged breath before the video connected "Sir, can you see us?"

"Yes, what is it?" he answered impatiently as he watched her holocam shaking furiously.

"Sir, they're after her." He could hear their footsteps slamming against the forest grounds. Their bodies hitting branches and bushes as they ran past. It was dark but a small spotlight beamed from the holocam on Vrei's eyeless face. He saw the steam rapidly being released and caught from her mouth.

"We can't stop them." he heard Aeron in the background.

"They're almost to the base, Ren," Keir added, her voice surprisingly calm considering their current state of movement.

"We've tried holding them back." the holocam swiftly moved to Darik, keeping speed with his fast pace. "They wouldn't listen."

"They're obsessed with the girl," Aeron added once more. Not a moment later he screamed, the holocam turned to his direction to see him surrounded by a thousand little yellow lights swirling around him.

Aeron screamed as he swatted at the blinding somethings.

"Wispies!" Kier yelled. There was shuffling all around.

"Fucking Ewoks" Kylo remembering the stories his mother told him as a child. Even then he thought them to be annoying.

"Ewoks" Darik repeated. He lifted his hand and used the _Force_ to blow away the Wispies. "I hate Ewoks" he gritted his teeth.

"We don't have time for them. Darik you take care of them. Keir and I will head for Kailin and Mor." Vrei immediately ordered

"Yes, ma'am" there was a hint of glee in Darik's voice. He ran towards Aeron and whooped a yell as he shot an Ewok running toward him.

"Kier lets go!" Keir ran alongside Vrei and the holocam for a couple of klicks more. The holocam finally stilled as they stopped at a treeline near a clearing that was before the entrance of the base. Silence. All Kylo heard was their rough breathing

"What do you see?" he asked impatiently.

"My photoreceptors are picking up massive a heat signature" Kier manually focused her receptors to zoom-in to the door. "Kailin used a thermal detonator to blast open the doors."

"Why am I not surprised?" Kylo rolled his eyes and pushed back his hair. "What else do you see?"

"Panic, sir. But I can't tell what the heat signatures are because of the blast."

"Vrei, what do you see?" he asked impatiently knowing she'd understand his meaning.

"Sir, she is still inside." Vrei hesitated.


	14. Eye of the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **MAJOR trigger warning. Depictions of abuse against women.
> 
>  
> 
> HI!! So I just wanted to put a trigger warning just in case I have any readers who are sensitive to the subject.

  **C** **hapter 14** **: Eye of the Storm**

 

Bazine Netal sat across from one of her kidnappers in an A-A5 speeder truck, with blacked-out windows, after being dragged out of the cantina.

‘ _Important client it is’_ she thought to herself as she was thrown in.

Bazine tried everything to get a reaction from the stoic men. She used all of best her tricks. Seduction, mania, threats, screaming, annoyance.

Nothing from them.

She received no emotion, no reaction, no twitch. Even when she tried to touch them. Only to be elbowed in the face by the lighter skin-toned of the two men. It was like trying to get a reaction from a permacrete wall.

“Oh come on boys. Ever had fun before?” She cooed as the blood dripped from her nose to her chest. Bazine seductively took her forefinger, dipped into the blood above her lip, spread it across her bottom lip, and sucked her finger. Still no reaction from the pale one. He just stared at her with his empty eyes. Staring eyes of a man mindlessly obeying his orders.  

“What’s a girl gotta do to get a hello?” she gave up, crosses her arms and leaned back against the seat.

The truck halted abruptly. Bazine’s body jerked forward, face landing between the man's knees.

She looked up, placing her cheek on his left knee and winked. The man stared straight into her eyes and smirked.

“Now we’re talking.” She winked again. With an unexpected and swift motion, he jammed a syringe deep into the open side of her neck. “Ooh”

She placed her hand on her neck and her body immediately slumped to the floor. The blood inside rushed with heat, then it was freezing cold. Her vision became blurry, her eyes began to roll, and eyelids were heavy. Bazine couldn’t hold her neck up any longer and dropped like a toy without stuffing. Her world became black.

 

* * *

 

Kailin stalked the halls for his prey. He scraped his giant sword against the walls, sparks following its path. “Where are you, girlie?” The alarms blared through-out the base. Red-lights furiously flashed against the walls.

“I can’t feel her, Kai,” Mortathi said.

“Trust me, she’s here” he reassured his brother. “Where else could she be?”

They continued to stride down the hallways searching for Rey when Kailin saw shadows shift down the hall.

“Oh, we have a first.” Kailin had a little hop to his step as he walked toward the end of the hall. They turned the corridor to see nothing.

“Can you feel it, brother?” Mortathi joyfully smacked Kaitlin’s chest with the back of his hand and pointed toward a door with the other.

 Kailin lowered his sword and nodded. Mortathi crept toward the door with Killstreak twirling in hand. With a turn to his left, he balanced the modified vanguard on his forearm and shot at the keypad, opening the door to a utility closet. There sat two Resistant members cowering in the back corner.

 “Hello” Mortathi’s voice dripped with a false sense of sweetness. He bowed with a hand to the woman with the arm sling. She hesitantly looked to her friend not wanting to leave her side.

 

* * *

 

“Hey, Rose.” Finn wrapped his arm around her shoulders and placed a chaste kiss on her temple.

“Hi” Rose blushed while grabbing the hand around her.

 “Aw, aren’t you two cute” teased Cova

All of a sudden the lights to the bunker flickered and turned red. Followed by the booming sound of the alarm going off.

“WHAT’S GOING ON?” yelled Rose, covering her ears from the sound and looking at Finn. His face was blank and serious. His years of being a Stormtrooper began to override his thinking.

“I don’t know” he mouthed. Without hesitation, he began barking out orders. “Connix, get Poe over the coms and tell him to get here quickly.” He bellowed

 “Yes, sir!” screamed Kaydel. She climbed the ladder to a cockpit and closed the hatch.

 “YOU TWO” He pointed to C’Ai and Cova Nell “GO TO THE AMORY ON LEVEL 10. GET WHAT YOU CAN CARRY”

They both nodded. C’Ai hopped out of the cockpit and ran for the turbo lifts, Cova Nell followed his heel.

“BB-8, LINK TO THE STATION AND SEE WHAT’S GOING ON” 

BB-8 gave Finn some excited beeps and rolled to a wall console.

“ROSE, YOU STAY BY MY SIDE”

“WHAT?!” Finn grabbed her hand and pulled her to the turbo-lift.

 

* * *

 

“Oh dear! Oh dear!” C-3PO panicked. “We have been found, General.” 

“Calm down 3-PO. This is an old station.” Leia lied. She felt the dark energy of the _Force_ swarming the base like a heavy cloud. She sensed the familiar entities, ones she had remembered as young padawans. Leia closed her eyes and inhaled.

 ‘ _Rey’_ she felt through the _Force_ . ‘ _Rey’_ Leia continued to try and reach her, but to no avail. Leila’s hands shook with fear.

 “3-PO, try to connect to Rey’s quarters, please.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” C-3PO shuffled his gold-plated feet to console, by the door. After a couple of seconds, he was able to connect to Rey.

“Rey? Can you hear me?”

 “Affirmative.” She responded hastily

 “They’re here for you. Please, be careful” Leia warned.

 “I know. I’m getting as far away from here as possible.” Rey’s voice came in and out.

“If they find you…” Leila’s words choked

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be ok. Just make sure everybody else is safe.” Rey paused. “I’ll see you soon.”

“May the Force…” the connection to Rey’s room cut off.

“Oh dear!” C-3PO muttered

“Take that stupid face off your face 3-PO” she ran her fingers through her hair. “and try to find Poe or Kaydel.”

 

* * *

 

Verza looked over to Eryn with dread in her eyes. Eryn gave her a reassuring nod while holding back her tears. Verza’s hand faltered as she grabbed Mortathi’s leather-clad hand.

 “There we go,” he said calmly “I won’t hurt you, my pretty dear” Mortathi smirked under his mask.

Kailin leaned against the wall next to the tall man. Mortathi gently guided Verza out to the hallway. Through a swirl of sickening fears came Kailin’s voice, casual and light.

“Tell us. Where is the Scavenger?”

Verza looked over to him and her fear coursed through her veins but never made it to her facial muscles or skin. Her complexion remained pale and matt but her eyes were where her uneasiness showed.

“Let me ask again” Kailin annoyed but never looking at her. “Where is the Scavenger?”

“I…” she stuttered, her eyes moving to Eryn.

Mortathi lifted his vanguard to her chin and moved her face toward his.

“Answer him” h,e said with that false sweetness.

“I don’t…” Verza began to cry. Mortathi tilted his head to the Heavy

‘ _Shall I?’_ He asked

“Do it.” No emotion to Kailin’s voice.

Mortathi, once again, balanced Killstreak over his forearm, aimed and shot Verza in the face. Like millions of red flowers blooming, her blood splattered the walls and her body fell to the floor.

Eryn screamed with her whole body. Her eyes wide with horror, mouth rigid and open, her chalky face gaunt and immobile, fists clenched with blanched knuckles and nails digging deeply into her hand. Then after her initial shock, she vocally screamed, closing her eyes to block the sight before her.

“Oh shut it.” Kailin ran out of patience and punched her in the face. He took his hand and hovered it over her to probe her mind. He saw her as a child playing on the hills of  Chandrila, then quickly swirled to her escaping D’Qar, then to the open field where they were attacked by the gorax. He rolled his eye under the mask.

“She knows nothing.” Eryn violently awoke screaming in pain. “Shoot her” he ordered.

The Rogue aimed the vanguard and shot Eryn in the chest. “Shall we continue?” he asked

“Lets” Kailin stepped over Verza’s body and continued down the hall.

 

* * *

 

Rey doubled checked her rucksack to make sure she had everything, including the texts and broken sabers.  slung her bag and staff over her shoulder and ran out the of room. She immediately bumped into Talohn.

 “Oh thank the Maker,” he said. “We’re being attacked. The entrance to the base has been blown up.” he with bated breath. He noticed Rey’s bag and took a step back. “Are… you leaving us?”

 “I’m so sorry, Talohn” Nausea churned ferociously in Rey’s stomach. Her head swam with half-formed regrets. Her heart felt as if her blood were tar as it fought to keep a steady beat.

 “You’re abandoning us now?” His eyes filled with anger and hatred.

 “I’m not…” she pleaded with him “It’s not what you think”

 “That’s what they always say “ He fumbled with his leg holster as he reached for his blaster. “You’re a traitor to the Resistance and everything we believe in.”

 Before he could take the blaster out, Rey used the _Force_ and threw him against the wall. She felt extremely guilty for having to her gift on the innocent man. Rey used all her physical strength to pull him into the room. She locked the door behind her and ran.

 The red lighting of the alarms continued to reflect on the walls, giving the shadows a more ominous tone. The hallways felt like an endless labyrinth to the exit. With every turn, she could feel the Knights dark energy looming around her. She feared what was to come. Rey listened to Kylo and was using all her energy to close herself off from the _Force_.

 ‘ _Maker, I hate this place_.’ she continued down the hall. Her heart raced, her mind dizzied from the alarm filling the hallway.

Rey felt the sweat drench her skin, the throbbing of her own eyes, the thumping of my heart against my chest, and the sound of ringing screams through the halls. Her fingers curled into a fist, nails digging into the palm. Rey’s feet pumped faster, closer to the sound beyond the alarm.

 Left, left, straight, right, left, right. Rey turned and turned. She felt like the base was mocking her. Taunting her for leaving her friends behind. Until she realized.

Rey stopped in her tracks. “This isn’t real” The sounds around her were silent. Rey could only hear the echoes of her blood rushing in ears.

‘ _She’s finally figured it out._ ’ the deep voice crept into the cavities of her mind.

‘ _Took her long enough’_ a bored voice chimed in.

‘ _Let’s have some fun, shall we?_ ’

  
  
  
  



End file.
